Silence
by musically inclined
Summary: “She went through a very terrible ordeal.I don’t know any of the details.All we know is that she witnessed something awful.She doesn't talk to anyone."The Cullens adopt Bella expecting to gain a child.They never expected to gain one with so many secrets..
1. Chapter 1

Okay, do you hate this as much as I do? You read a story on a certain topic, and it isn't up to your expectations. So then you decide that you have to write a story on that same topic so that you can make it how you want. ARG! I hate it so much! Because now I am going to have three stories going at the same time, and that is just…ARG!

Well, whatever. Here you go. I hope you at least enjoy my annoying habit.

And just so you aren't all confused, everyone is human. I normally hate writing stories like that, but for my idea to work, it has to be that way. I am sorry if you all hate the human stories. Some may say, "Twilight isn't about all humans!" Well is this story called Twilight? No. This is just a shpeel based on the characters of Twilight. I make them how I want. So no complaining.

I don't own any of it.

Bella's POV

"Where is she?" the lady asked. She looked nice enough. She looked like a mother should look, soft and kind. But I wouldn't allow myself to like her.

"She is over there in that chair," Mrs. Maybury replied in her high pitched voice. She then lowered her voice to continue so I wouldn't hear, but I could hear her every word. "She went through a very terrible ordeal. I don't know any of the details; no one does. All we know is that she witnessed something awful."

"She doesn't talk to anyone. We have put her through therapy, and it isn't working. We can't get anything out of her."

"Oh dear," the lady said.

"I'm terribly sorry that she is the only one we could give you. I knew you wanted to adopt as soon as possible, and she is the only one for now."

"Don't even worry about it. My whole family is very excited to have her. We will love her no matter what."

I looked up at this lady, this strange lady, with an overwhelming sense of confusion. How could she love me when I was broken? How could she love me when she didn't even know me?

Mrs. Maybury walked over to me, the lady trailing closely behind. "Isabella, this is Esme Cullen." So that was her name. "She is the one who is going to adopt you."

"Hello Isabella," Esme said in a very sweet voice. "It is so nice to meet you." She extended her hand out to me, but I wouldn't take it. I couldn't take it.

"I forgot to tell you," Mrs. Maybury whispered. "She doesn't like anyone touching her. No one knows why."

"Oh." Esme pulled her hand away and smiled down at me. "Well, there are so many excited people waiting at your new home. They would love to meet you, Isabella."

I frowned. Why did everyone call me Isabella? I hated that name. That was the name _he_ used. I curled further into my seat.

Esme frowned. "They aren't going to hurt you," she said thinking that I was scared. I _was_ scared, but not of her and her family.

Mrs. Maybury sighed and held out a piece of paper to Esme. "We need you to sign this. Your husband really needs to sign it as well. Just have him come down when he is free."

Esme smiled as she signed the paper. Did she always smile?

"I'll tell him," she replied before handing the paper back. "Now let's get going Isabella. Everyone is so excited to meet you!"

I frowned. _Call me Bella!_ I thought. But I couldn't speak. Even if I wanted to, _that_ day had changed me forever. My mind wouldn't allow me to speak. Not after the threat _he_ had made. Not after what I had seen.

Esme continued to smile softly at me. She extended her hand to me, but I think she knew I wouldn't take it. She only wanted to be nice.

Slowly, I uncurled my self from the chair and stood up. I started to pick up my suitcase, but Esme took it quickly. "You don't worry about a thing," she said. "I'll carry that for you."

I wrapped my arms around myself and followed her, my body shaking. I always shook when I was out in the open. I hated feeling exposed. I _always_ felt exposed.

"Goodbye, Isabella!" Mrs. Maybury called after me. She was a nice lady. She took care of me as long as she could. I found that I would actually kind of miss her.

I turned and gave her a tiny wave. She smiled at me and waved back for the last time.

I turned back towards Esme and followed her to a silver car. Inside the car sat a boy who looked to be about my age. He immediately got out of the car and took my things from Esme.

"This is Edward, one of my sons. I adopted him a few years ago," Esme said.

"It's nice to meet you," Edward said smiling. He held out his hand, but Esme shook her head.

"She doesn't like to be touched. No one knows why. And she doesn't talk."

Edward withdrew his hand and frowned slightly, cocking his head to one side. He looked at me curiously. "Why not?"

"Apparently, she witnessed something terrible," Esme explained. "Mrs. Maybury, the adoption director, said they had her in therapy, but it wasn't working."

I looked down, keeping my arms wrapped around myself. I didn't like them talking about me as if I wasn't here.

"She's shaking," Edward commented. "And I don't think she likes us talking about her like she isn't here."

I looked up at him wide eyed. How did he _know_?

"Why do you think that?" Esme asked.

He frowned. "I don't know. It's just a feeling I am getting."

"Hmm…"

"What's her name?" Edward asked. He still looked at me curiously.

"Isabella."

I frowned.

"Bella…" he breathed. I looked at him again, shocked.

"No, Isabella," Esme corrected.

I frowned again. Why couldn't they understand that I didn't want to be called that?

"See how she frowns?" Edward asked. "She doesn't like being called Isabella."

Esme looked at me and then at Edward. "And you know this how?" she asked.

"I don't know." He looked away from me and shook his head. "Anyway, everyone will be anxious to meet Bella." I smiled slightly. I liked that name. "We should get going."

"Oh, yes!" Esme opened the back door of the car for me and watched me get in slowly. I buckled my seatbelt and curled up. Now I didn't feel so exposed.

"I think you are going to like everyone," Edward said as he started driving away.

No one ever really talked to me. They only talked about me. I really liked how Edward included me. And he seemed to know what I liked and didn't like.

"Emmett is a little obnoxious," he said chuckling. "And Alice is a little…hyper to say the least. But I'm positive you will love them just the same."

I nodded once very quickly to show him I had heard him. He saw through the mirror and smiled.

After a while, we pulled onto a dirt path. It seemed to go on forever, but we finally reached the end of it. Outside, I could see a huge house, many people standing in the front of it.

Edward got out and opened my door for me. I unbuckled myself with shaking hands and got out, wrapping my arms around myself again.

Edward put his hand on my shoulder to lead me to the porch. I jumped away from him, and he immediately withdrew his hand.

"Sorry," he said softly. He put his hands in his pockets and smiled at me. "Shall we?" he asked.

I nodded once quickly.

"Welcome home," he said before leading me to the front porch.

Okay, so I know there are going to be a lot of questions on what Bella witnessed and what not, but I can't answer them for you. You will just have to keep reading. I don't want to ruin it for you.

REVIEW please! Should I continue?


	2. Chapter 2

W.O.W! 19 reviews for one chapter! You all are amazing!

ALL HUMAN! Many of you asked this question, and that is the answer. Everyone is human. They have to be in order for my story to work.

My story takes place during the summer. NO SCHOOL!

Q&A

Q: Who is _he? _

A: I can't tell you who _he_ is yet. Just keep reading!

Q: How old is everyone?

A: Bella and Edward are both sixteen, almost seventeen.

Carlisle and Esme are around 26, 27. Young to be adopting, I know.

Emmett is seventeen.

Rosalie is seventeen, a few months younger than Emmett is.

Alice is eighteen, younger than Jasper by a few months.

Jasper is eighteen.

I know the ages don't match up with the book, but these are their ages according to me.

Q: Are Charlie and Renee dead since Bella is up for adoption?

A: I can't answer that one. It would give too much away. Just keep reading!

I don't own anything. Just a cheap cell phone and a few books…

JAR:

"Sorry," he said softly. He put his hands in his pockets and smiled at me. "Shall we?" he asked.

I nodded once quickly.

"Welcome home," he said before leading me to the front porch.

(It's all in Bella's POV from now on unless specified as otherwise.)

* * *

When I reached the porch, I stood in front of everyone shaking. I had never been around so many people before. It was a frightening experience.

"Hello Isabella," the oldest looking man said.

"She likes to be called Bella," Edward corrected.

"Excuse me then. Hello, Bella. I'm Carlisle Cullen. I'm Esme's husband."

I nodded once quickly and wrapped my arms tighter around myself.

"Hey Bella!" a tiny girl said. She looked like a fairy. "I'm Alice. I'm your new sister!"

She scared me a bit. I wasn't used to someone being so…hyper. This must have been what Edward meant.

"And I'm Jasper, Alice's boyfriend and your new brother," a boy with blond hair said.

I nodded once.

"I'm Rosalie," the other girl said. She was possibly the most beautiful girl I had ever seen before. "I'm your other new sister."

I nodded.

"I'm Emmett!" I backed up slightly as I got a good look at him. He was huge! He reminded me a bit of _him_.

Edward glared at him and went to pat me on the shoulder. When I cringed away, he withdrew his hand and looked at me softly. "He won't hurt you," he said. "He just looks big."

I nodded once.

"Well, that's everyone," Esme said. She looked at me kindly. "Do you want to go get unpacked? Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes."

I nodded quickly. Anything to get away from the open. Anything to feel less exposed.

"How about you have Edward show you to your new room?" she asked looking from Edward to me. "She seems most comfortable around you," she added.

"I wouldn't mind that. Are you okay with that Bella?" Edward asked.

I nodded.

"Well then, let's go." He walked ahead of me a little bit allowing me to follow him. Everyone else stayed outside.

"I'm sorry about Alice and Emmett," he said as we walked up some stairs. "You will get used to them."

I didn't say anything. I wrapped my arms tighter around myself and continued to shake.

We reached the top of the stairs, and Edward led me to a door at the end of a hallway. He opened it and allowed me to walk inside.

It was just a simple room with a twin-sized bed and a dresser. It was small, just the way I liked it. I hated large spaces.

I walked over to the bed and sat down. I turned to the right and noticed a window. I jumped off the bed and ran over to Edward, putting my arms around him. I didn't like anyone touching me, but no one ever said anything about me touching someone else.

Edward froze in surprise before he relaxed. He didn't put his arms around me knowing that I wouldn't like that. He just allowed me to hold onto him.

"What's wrong Bella?" he asked softly.

I couldn't respond. I was shaking too badly.

I hated windows. That was how _he_ had gotten in. That was how it had all started.

"Bella?" He looked around the room trying to figure out what had scared me. His eyes zeroed in on the window. "Is it the window?" he asked.

I nodded quickly and started to sob. Couldn't he just take the window away? Couldn't he cover it up or something?

"Shh," Edward soothed. Very slowly, he put his arms around me. I jumped but then relaxed into him. He wouldn't hurt me.

"Do you want me to cover the window?" he asked as he rubbed soothing circles into my back.

I just continued to sob into him. I didn't care what he did with it. I just wanted it gone. Windows were okay, but not in my room. I wanted it gone.

"Are you okay with waiting here?" he asked me. "I will go get a board, a hammer, and some nails so I can cover it up for you."

I didn't want to be left alone in this room with the window there mocking me, but it would allow Edward to go get supplies to cover it. So I nodded and pulled away from him, wrapping my arms tightly around myself.

"I will be right back Bella. I promise." He ran out of the room leaving me alone.

I backed into the corner farthest away from the window and sank down to the floor. Images, awful images of a huge man jumping through the window of my old room, images of _him_ pulling me out of bed and dragging me downstairs, came to my mind. I closed my eyes and rocked back and forth, my fingers clinging to my hair, sobs escaping my lips.

Why couldn't _he_ just leave me alone? Why did _he_ have to haunt me wherever I went? I wanted _him_ to leave me alone!

I heard someone enter the room. The person knelt in front of me and put a hand on my shoulder. I jumped up and bolted across the room, screaming.

"Bella!" Edward said. He stayed in the corner and looked at me, concern etched into his face. "It's just me," he said quietly. "It's just me."

I sank to the floor and curled into a ball, tears streaming down my face. I wanted to go back to the adoption agency where everything was to my liking. Every window in my room had been boarded up. No one entered without knocking three slow times. I felt safe there.

Edward held up a huge board and pointed to it. "I'm just going to board up your window okay?" He walked slowly to the window and started hammering it into the wall.

When he was done, he put the hammer down and walked to me slowly. He knelt in front of me. "Do you want to devise a system for when someone comes into your room? That way you know it is one of us."

I looked up at him in shock. How did he always know what I wanted, what I needed?

"I'll take that as a yes," he said smiling softly. "Do you want to make it up?" he asked.

I stood up slowly and walked to the door. I wrapped one arm around me and put the other hand to the door. I knocked three slow times.

Edward walked over to me and repeated the movements. "That's perfect," he said smiling. "I will let everyone know."

I nodded quickly and walked over to my new bed. I lay down in a ball and closed my eyes.

"I will leave you alone then," Edward said. "I'll come get you when dinner is ready."

He closed the door on his way out leaving me alone.

I fell asleep quickly. Dreams, nightmares, immediately overtook me.

"_Come with me," _**he**_ whispered as he pulled me out of bed. He covered my mouth with his hand to keep me from screaming. "I have something I want to show you…"_

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3

Thank you all so much for the reviews. I don't think I have ever gotten such enthusiastic comments before. You are all amazing! Keep them coming!

JAR:

I fell asleep quickly. Dreams, nightmares, immediately overtook me.

"_Come with me," _**he**_ whispered as he pulled me out of bed. He covered my mouth with his hand to keep me from screaming. "I have something I want to show you…"_

* * *

ONE WEEK LATER

I woke up screaming, panting hard, sweat running down my forehead. _He_ had been haunting my dreams even more now that I had been living with the Cullens for a week.

For the past week, every one of the Cullens kept trying to get closer to me. I could tell it annoyed them that I didn't talk, that they wanted to know what happened to make me like I am, but I couldn't talk to them. It affected Emmett the most. He left the room every time I entered. He couldn't stand my shaking and the silence that always came with me.

I looked around the room quickly to make sure _he_ wasn't there. _He_ wasn't, but someone was. Edward was. He sat on the end of my bed, his forehead crinkled with worry.

I stared at him wide eyed. Why was he looking at me like that?

"I came up here to tell you the family wanted to play some games together to try and get you to open up," he said softly. "But you were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you."

I continued to stare at him.

"I started to leave, but then you began screaming and kicking. I wanted to touch you, to comfort you, but you were so scared." He seemed like he was talking more to himself now as he looked down at his hands.

I looked down causing my hair to block my face from him. I didn't want him to see the tears that were now streaming from my eyes.

"What happened to you?" Edward whispered.

I jerked my head to the side once.

"You seemed to be getting closer to me this past week, but now, you seem so much more distant…" He trailed off.

I couldn't control the sobs that were now escaping from my chest through my mouth. They were high pitched squealing sounds that couldn't be stopped no matter how hard I tried.

Very slowly so as not to scare me, Edward stood up and walked toward me. He knelt down by my bed and touched my arm that was tangled into my hair. I jerked away.

"Please Bella," he whispered. "I just want to help you. I have been so kind to you this past week. I have comforted you before. Please, just let me help you. I can help you."

He tried again, slower this time. I jerked away slightly, but forced myself to relax. Edward would not hurt me. He only wanted to help me.

Slowly, he climbed onto the bed next to me and put his arms around me. I stayed stiff in his embrace, but he sighed in relief. This was one step closer for him. I was one step closer to trusting him more fully.

"Relax Bella," he whispered.

I couldn't obey. My mind knew Edward wouldn't hurt me, but my body didn't. I couldn't relax in his arms. I could only sit there, stiff as ever, remembering things I didn't want to remember.

He sighed. "Well at least I can touch you now." He put my head on his shoulder, still aware that I was not at all relaxed. "I won't hurt you Bella. I promise you that."

Eventually, my sobs quieted down until they were virtually non existent. Edward pulled away from me slowly and looked me in the face. "Do you want to tell me what happened to you?" he asked quietly.

I shook my head quickly, my eyes going wild.

"Okay, okay. Shh. It's okay Bella. I won't force you." He pushed my hair away from my eyes causing me to jump and smiled. "Do you want to go downstairs and play some games?" he asked.

I just wanted to stay up here, safe under my covers. Edward sensed my hesitancy.

"How about you just watch?" he suggested. "We won't make you play."

I figured this was the best offer I was going to get, so I nodded quickly. Edward smiled and stood up. He held his hand out for me to take, but I wasn't _that _comfortable around him yet. He withdrew his hand keeping the smile on his face.

I stood up and immediately wrapped my arms around myself. I hunched over and looked at the floor as I followed Edward out of my room.

I was shaking harder than I usually did because of my recent nightmare. Edward noticed this and put his arm around me slowly. After jumping once, I allowed him to keep his arm around my shoulder, but I stayed stiff.

"It's okay Bella," Edward whispered. "It's okay."

I continued to look at he floor as we walked slowly down the stairs. The whole family was waiting in the living room for us. Edward led me to the couch and helped me sit down. I put my knees up and wrapped my arms around my legs, pulling them tightly to me.

"She let you touch her?" Jasper asked.

"Her name is Bella, and she is right here. Don't talk about her like she isn't here," Edward said.

"Okay…um…you let him touch you?" Jasper asked me.

I nodded quickly.

"You let me, but you still won't relax. You stay stiff the whole time." He sighed and stood up. "Bella just wants to watch. She doesn't want to play."

"Do you talk to him behind our backs or something?" Emmett asked. "He knows everything about you."

I grimaced and shook my head.

"If you actually pay attention to her body language, you can tell what she wants and doesn't want," Edward said angrily. "But you wouldn't know that because you always leave when she's around."

"Well excuse me!" Emmett stood up and towered over Edward. I cringed further into the couch.

"I'm just saying, if you ever want her to get used to being around all of us, you should try to be around more often!" Edward growled.

"Stop this," Esme said standing in between them.

"Well maybe she should actually talk to us!" Emmett roared ignoring his mother. "Maybe then I wouldn't be so eager to leave whenever she enters the room!"

"You just don't understand what she's been through!" Edward yelled.

"And you do? You think you are so high and mighty because you can touch her! Well big whoop! That doesn't give away much!"

I covered my ears and began to rock back and forth.

"Stop it!" Rosalie shouted. She stood up and stepped in front of Emmett.

"No, I don't think I'm all high and mighty," Edward shouted, continuing as if nothing happened. "I don't have any idea what happened to her, and that is bugging me to no end! But at least I am trying to figure it out! At least I am there for her! At least I don't make her feel like scum by leaving the room!"

"Stop talking about her as if she isn't here!" Emmett mocked.

All heck broke loose. Edward pushed Esme and Rosalie out of the way making sure not to hurt them before he punched Emmett in the face. It was a full out war now.

Emmett fell to the ground with the force of the blow. He reached up and punched Edward's knee causing him to fall as well. They rolled around over eachother, punching and hitting every available spot.

I rocked back and forth, faster and faster, crying now. This was not the safe place I thought it was turning into.

"STOP THIS!" Carlisle tried to pull the boys off of eachother. "NOW!"

Jasper stood up and helped Carlisle. He held Emmett back while Carlisle held Edward.

All four stood panting hard, Emmett and Edward bleeding from the face.

"Look what you are doing to Bella!" Carlisle yelled turning Edward to face me. Jasper turned Emmett. They both looked down, refusing to look at me as I sat there rocking back and forth, sobs escaping from my chest. "I said look at her!" Carlisle yelled.

Edward looked up, pain evident on his beaten face. He pulled away from Carlisle and slowly walked to me, kneeling in front of me. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

I continued to sob. This was too much like what _he_ did. It was all too familiar.

Edward reached out and tried to touch my arm, but I screamed and curled further into myself. He immediately retracted his hand, jumping up as if he had been electrocuted. He looked around the room once before turning and running out the door.

Silence engulfed every corner of the room for a good minute. All that could be heard was my labored breathing and sobs.

Finally, Carlisle broke the silence. "Bella?" He knelt in front of me. "Bella honey, it's okay. It's okay now."

Emmett broke away from Jasper and looked at me sadly. "I shouldn't have done that Bella. I'm so sorry." He turned and walked out of the room.

I continued to sob. I couldn't breathe now. The room was closing in on me. Images of _him_ flooded my mind.

"Bella," Carlisle said in a soothing voice. "You're hyperventilating. You need to breathe in and out slowly. Come on Bella. Breathe with me now." He breathed in and out deliberately.

I tried to obey him, but I couldn't do it.

"Bella, you can do it," Alice said, kneeling next to Carlisle. "Breathe in and out. In and out." She copied Carlisle's motions.

After a few minutes of trying to imitate their breathing pattern, I was able to calm down and breathe normally. Carlisle smiled at me and stood up. I closed my eyes and curled into a ball. Alice stayed by me, keeping her hand a few inches from my leg but never touching me.

"I'm going to go check on Emmett," Rosalie said. She walked out of the room quietly.

"I'll go make sure Edward is okay," Jasper said. He left the room.

"We need to figure out what happened to her," Carlisle whispered to Esme. "Even as a doctor, there isn't much I can do until I understand her situation."

"So what do we do with Bella?" Alice asked quietly.

"For now, we need to refrain from any fighting," Carlisle said. We need to talk in quiet voices around her so she knows she can trust us. No one is to touch her. We will leave her on the couch for now until she feels comfortable getting up and going where she wants to. If we touch her, it will only put us back to point one, which is where we are right now."

"What do we do in the meantime?" Esme asked.

"We do everything we can to figure out what happened to her. The adoption agency said they didn't know anything right?" he asked her.

"No."

"That doesn't make sense," Alice said. "Wouldn't they know at least where she came from and who her parents were?"

"She could have been dropped off anonymously as a baby," Esme said. "They wouldn't know anything then."

"But she obviously wasn't," Carlisle put in. "She had to have been put in the agency at an older age after she witnessed whatever it is she witnessed, unless she witnessed it in the agency. I get the feeling it happened at her home though before she was put up for adoption."

"Then they have to know something," Alice said. "We should go talk to them."

"They said they don't know what happened to her," Esme replied.

"But we could at least find out who her parents were and where she used to live. If we find that out, we could look through newspaper archives or something. We might be able to find out what happened to Bella that way."

Esme sighed. "I never meant for this adoption to be so stressful," she said. "I just wanted another daughter."

"Even though Bella is the way she is, I still love her," Carlisle said. "I still love her like a daughter, and I want to help her."

"I do too," Esme said. "I love her too. I just want to know what happened to her! What happened to make her so scared?"

"I don't know Esme. But we will find out. I promise."

All went silent, and I fell asleep quickly.

* * *

It's getting close to the time when you find out what happened to Bella!

The next few chapters will be in different points of view. Esme and Alice are going to go look for information on Bella, and Emmett and Edward are going to try to deal with everything that has happened. So I don't think it will be in Bella's point of view for a while now.

REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for the amazing reviews!

JAR:

"I don't know Esme. But we will find out. I promise."

All went silent, and I fell asleep quickly.

* * *

Jasper's Point of View

"Edward?" I called. I walked through the forest pushing aside branches, trying to find my brother. "Edward!"

"Leave me alone." I turned and saw him hunched over, his head in his hands. "Just leave me alone."

I walked over and sat down on a log next to him. I didn't say anything. Edward would talk in his own time.

The sun began to set as I sat there listening to Edward cry. It was a new experience, hearing him cry. He never showed his emotions around anyone; he always kept everything bottled up inside.

"I don't know what to do," he eventually said. "I don't know how to help her."

I patted the spot next to me and watched as Edward moved to sit by me. "Why do you want to help her?" I asked after a minute of silence.

He sighed. "I don't know, Jasper. I don't know anything about her and yet, I feel like I have known her my whole life."

I nodded. "I can understand that. That's how I felt about Alice when I first met her."

"But I don't know anything about her. She won't even let me touch her anymore! I ruined everything!" He buried his head in his hands again.

"You seem to know a lot more about her than the rest of us do," I commented. "And you saw her earlier. She let you touch her."

"But I ruined that by fighting with Emmett. I ruined everything."

I stared into the setting sun for a while. I could practically feel the anger and remorse rolling off of my brother.

"You love her," I whispered.

"Yes."

One simple word changed everything. One simple word made things ten times more complicated.

"So what are you going to do?" I asked turning my head to look at him.

"I don't know, Jasper. I don't know."

* * *

Rosalie's Point of View

"Emmett? What are you doing in the water?" I walked over and stood at the edge of the stream watching my boyfriend as he plopped himself down in the middle of the water, soaking his pants.

"Sitting," he replied.

"And why are you sitting in the water?" I asked.

"I felt like getting wet."

I couldn't believe I was about to do this. I took a deep breath and stepped into the freezing water, shrieking slightly.

"What are you doing, Rose?" Emmett asked.

"I'm coming to sit next to you."

"Why?"

"Cause' I feel like getting wet too." I sat down next to him and lay my head on his shoulder. He put his arms around me and sighed.

"So what was that about?" I asked. I had never seen Emmett act like that before. He was supposed to be the funloving guy, the guy who always cracked a joke.

"I'm just frustrated." He played with a strand of my hair. "This is not what I was expecting."

"I don't think anyone was expecting this, Emmett. But this is what our family has been dealt."

"I know that."

"So why did you blow up like that?" I asked.

He pulled away from me and stood up. I stood up too and put my arms around his waist. "I wanted a little sister that I could mess around with. I wanted someone to make fun of, someone to laugh with, someone to play games with."

I nodded as he snaked his arms around my waist. "And I wanted a little sister to protect."

"You have Alice," I commented.

"She's no fun though. She's too…perky. She doesn't need protection."

He sighed and rested his chin on my head, looking out into the setting sun. "I can't mess around with Bella. I can't even touch her," he whispered. "And that kills me. I'm not the type of guy who can be serious all day every day. I feel like that is what I have to be with Bella here now. I don't feel like I can be funny anymore; it might scare her."

"That isn't what frustrates you the most though," I said quietly.

"You're too perceptive for your own good." He chuckled lightly and pulled away to look me in the eyes. "I want to be able to make her feel better. I want to be able to scare the monsters away from her room. I want to be able to know what is bothering her!"

"I'm the big brother! I'm supposed to protect her! I'm supposed to make her feel better!"

"And you can't do that because you don't know what you need to protect her from," I said. "I understand, Emmett."

"I want to know what makes her the way she is. Why doesn't she talk? Why does she always wrap her arms around herself? Why does she constantly shake? And why does she curl into herself whenever she sits anywhere?" he nearly yelled.

"I don't know," I whispered, resting my head on his chest.

"If I ever find out who made Bella like this, I will tear them limb from limb and burn them. And I will enjoy every minute of it."

I laughed lightly. "I don't doubt that in the slightest."

We stood in silence for a while before I spoke again. "So what are you going to do now?" I asked.

He sighed. "I don't know. I am going to try to find a way to apologize to Bella without scaring her. And I will do whatever it takes to find out what happened to her."

I nodded into his chest. "That sounds like a good plan."

He pulled away and smiled down at me. "I love you, Rosie."

I laughed. "And I love you, Emmie."

* * *

REVIEW!


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks for all the reviews. I got 24 for one chapter! You know what would make me happier though? Even MORE!

JAR:

He pulled away and smiled down at me. "I love you, Rosie."

I laughed. "And I love you, Emmie."

* * *

Emmett's Point of View

I walked inside with Rosalie, quietly so as not to scare Bella. Alice, Carlisle, and Esme were in the living room sitting around my new sister who lay on the couch sleeping.

"What's going on?" I whispered.

"She started hyperventilating when you and Edward left," Carlisle said. "Alice and I were able to calm her down, and she fell asleep."

I looked down. "I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to blow up like that."

"We forgive you," Esme said. "But Bella is the one you need to apologize to."

I nodded and sat down placing Rosalie in my still wet lap. "Have you guys planned anything?" I asked.

Alice nodded. "Esme and I are going to go to the adoption agency tonight after Edward and Jasper get back. We want to make sure they are okay first."

"What are you going to do there?" Rosalie asked, clearly confused.

"They said they didn't know any details about what Bella saw or went through, but we think if we get her parent's names and where she used to live, we will be able to look through newspaper archives or something to figure this whole mess out," Esme answered.

I nodded in agreement. "Sounds good, but I want to go with you."

Carlisle shook his head. "I need you to stay here with Bella while I go into the hospital. I am going to try to figure out what exactly we can do for her right now until we know what happened."

"Why can't Edward or Jasper or Rosalie stay?" I asked trying to keep my cool.

Carlisle sighed. "They could, but I want _you_ to stay."

"And why is that?" I asked trying so hard not to raise my voice.

"Emmett, I don't want you starting trouble down at the agency. If they don't know the information, I know you well enough to know that you will rip into them."

I slid Rosalie off of me and stood up, knotting my fingers in my hair. I started pacing the room.

"Emmett, calm down," Rosalie said softly.

I shook my head and dropped my hands to my side. "I am going with Alice and Esme whether you like it or not," I said to Carlisle.

"Emmett…"

"I can't do anything for Bella here. I _need_ to do something for her. I need this Carlisle."

"Emmett…"

"NO!" I roared. I immediately clapped my hand over my mouth and looked toward Bella. She continued to sleep.

I sighed and took my hand away from my mouth. "I am going with whether you like it or not," I said in a strained voice. I walked out of the room leaving no time for arguments.

An hour later, I came downstairs to see Edward kneeling next to Bella, his head on the couch staring at her. Jasper sat in a chair across the room, staring off into space.

"Where are Alice and Esme?" I asked.

Jasper shook his head as if coming out of a trance. "What was that?" he asked.

"Where are Alice and Esme?"

"They are upstairs getting ready to leave. They are going to try to sneak out without you." He chuckled.

I just shook my head and walked over to Edward. I placed my hand on his shoulder, and he looked up.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I said. "I didn't mean to blow up like that."

"Neither did I." He sighed and put his head back on the couch.

I turned to Jasper. "What's wrong with him?" I mouthed.

He shook his head and mouthed, "Later."

I nodded. "I'm going to go now," I said.

Edward's head shot up. "Find everything you can, Emmett," he said in a strained whisper. "Everything you can."

I looked at him oddly before nodding. "I will."

I walked outside to Alice's car and got in. No one would be leaving without me today.

AT THE AGENCY

Alice and Esme were not pleased with me at the moment. They tried to drag me inside the house, but with me being so big and all…they gave up. So the three of us walked into the agency together, the two girls whispering angrily behind me.

"He's only going to cause trouble," Alice whispered.

"I know Alice, but he's too big. We can't fight with him," Esme replied.

"What if he blows up at the workers like he did with Edward? And his face is so messed up now. He's bound to scare a few people."

"It will heal. And we can only hope he won't do anything rash."

I stopped and turned on my heel, staring them down. "Do you honestly think so little of me?" I whispered angrily. "Do you honestly think I would go so low as to beat up innocent workers?"

They stared at me in shock. "Um…it's not like that," Esme said. "It's…it's just…I love you!"

I rolled my eyes and turned around, continuing toward the front desk.

"Can I speak with Mrs. Maybury?" I asked the lady behind the computer.

"She's busy at the moment," she said kindly, trying not to stare at my bruises.

"I really need to speak with her," I said trying to be as nice as possible.

She stared at me for a minute, probably debating, before she nodded. "All right. Go wait over there while I go find her." She pointed to a few chairs against the wall and walked out of the lobby.

A few minutes later, the lady walked back in with who I assumed was Mrs. Maybury. Mrs. Maybury walked up to us and shook my hand as I stood up.

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

Esme stepped out from behind me. "Hello," she said.

"Mrs. Cullen! How lovely to see you!" Her face fell. "Is something wrong with Isabella?"

"She…she's having a little trouble adjusting," Alice said. "I'm Esme's daughter by the way," she added.

"Hello."

"We were just wanting to know what exactly happened to Bella before she was put into the agency," I said.

"I told Esme that we didn't know anything."

"I know that, but do you have her parent's names or where she used to live before everything happened? Do you have any information at all?" I asked, staring her in the eyes.

"That is confidential information," Mrs. Maybury said.

"I am her mother now," Esme said. "I have a right to know these things."

"It's just…it's a privacy issue."

Esme nodded and clenched her jaw.

"Do you understand?" Mrs. Maybury asked.

Esme nodded again before she shook her head. "You know what? I don't understand. Legally, Bella is my daughter now. I have a right to know whatever I ask about my daughter."

I looked at her like she was crazy.

"I'm sorry, but…"

"I said I have a right to know!" Esme yelled. She took a deep breath and sighed. "I have a right to know," she said quietly.

Mrs. Maybury looked about as surprised as I felt. "O-okay. Follow me."

We followed behind her. I looked at Esme in shock, and she just shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"And Carlisle was worried about me." I shook my head and chuckled.

Mrs. Maybury led us into a room filled with files. She went over to the file marked 'S' and opened it. She thumbed through the folders and pulled out one marked 'Bella S.'

"Bella Swan," she muttered as she opened the folder. She took out a piece of paper and handed it to Esme.

"Read it out loud," I said.

"Her mother was Renee Swan, and her father was Charlie Swan," Esme muttered. "How did they die?" she asked Mrs. Maybury.

"I don't know. I know that you could find out easily though through newspapers or something. I just don't want to look. I feel bad enough for Isabella as it is," she answered.

Esme looked down at the paper again. "She lived in Phoenix, Arizona. Why was she put in an adoption agency all the way in Washington?" she asked.

"I don't know. I don't even know who brought her here. She just…showed up one day," Mrs. Maybury said.

"How old is she?" Alice asked.

"Her birthday is September 13. She is sixteen," Esme replied. "And she was fifteen when she was put into the agency."

I nodded my head and put my hand on her shoulder. "We should go now. I want to start looking more deeply."

Esme nodded and handed the paper back to Mrs. Maybury. "I'm sorry…about earlier," she said quietly before we all walked out, leaving Mrs. Maybury alone.

"So what now?" Alice asked.

"You two go home. I go to Arizona."

"Emmett, you are not going alone," Esme said.

"I will be faster on my own. Besides, Bella needs you two. She needs a mom and a sister right now."

"Emmett…"

"I'm eighteen, mom," I said getting into the driver's seat of the car. "I can handle being on my own for a few days."

The ride home was silent. I parked the car and ran into the house, packing a suitcase quickly. I grabbed my sock full of money and ran back downstairs.

"You are not going to Arizona alone!" Rosalie protested as she ran and put her arms around me. "I'm going with you!"

"Rose, I have to do this alone," I said.

"I can't stay here without you!" she said. A few tears slid down her face.

I groaned. "Don't do this to me!"

She smiled lightly before letting go of me. "I'll go pack."

I rolled my eyes and watched her run up the stairs. "You have one minute!" I yelled.

I looked over to the couch to find Edward in the same position as he was in when I left. Bella was awake now and didn't seem to be as nervous around him anymore. That could be because she wasn't really here at the moment. She stared at the wall across the room, a vacant expression on her face.

"Please, Emmett," Edward whispered as he stared at Bella. "Please find all you can."

I nodded as Rosalie came bounding down the stairs, suitcase in hand. "I'm ready," she said.

I put my arm around her and walked out to the car. We were on the way to Arizona within five minutes.

* * *

Guess what...you find out everything next chapter! Well, not everything, but most everything!

So REVIEW! I want AT LEAST 20 or you don't get the next chapter!

REVIEW!


	6. Chapter 6

23 reviews in 3 1/2 hours! AMAZING! So, as promised, here is the next chapter!

WARNING: The following chapter reveals SOME of the much-anticipated news on what happened to Bella. Although it doesn't go into much detail because I am going to have Bella explain it in detail in future chapters, this may be disturbing to some. I am not intending to give anyone nightmares or anything of the sort. If you don't think you can handle it, please don't read this chapter. :Warning

JAR:

I put my arm around her and walked out to the car. We were on the way to Arizona within five minutes.

* * *

Edward's Point of View

Emmett and Rosalie had left a week ago. It wasn't supposed to be taking them this long. They weren't answering their cell phones, and everyone was growing worried.

Not only was everyone worried about Emmett and Rosalie, but they were also worried about Bella. _I_ was worried about Bella. She hadn't eaten in a week. She wouldn't move. All she did was lye on the couch, staring blankly at the wall across the room. Carlisle said she was catatonic.

Carlisle wanted to take her into the hospital, but I refused. She was safer here with me, and I couldn't always be at the hospital with her due to visiting hours. So he somehow got special permission to bring a feeding tube into the house to hook up to her.

The day he hooked it up was awful. In order to get it in her, he had to touch Bella. She didn't like that much. So we went back to square one.

Now that the tube was in her though, she was fine. Well, as fine as she could be considering. She still stared at the wall with a vacant expression in her eyes. She still refused to be touched.

I sat next to her on the floor, my head resting on the couch next to her still form. I had my hand an inch from her arm, but I didn't touch her. I just wanted her to know, if she was still aware of everything, that I was here and that I wasn't going to leave her.

The front door slammed open causing me to jump up from my position. In front of me stood a very angry Emmett. Behind him was Rosalie. She looked as if she had been crying.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Where have you two been?"

Emmett looked at Bella and placed his hands in his hair. He turned around, his entire body shaking.

"Get everyone in here now," he growled through clenched teeth.

"What did you find?" I asked.

"I…said…now!" He separated each word.

I ran out of the room and gathered everyone up into the living room. I took my spot next to Bella, putting my hand an inch from her arm, but I kept my head up.

Everyone sat down except for Rosalie and Emmett. Emmett was pacing the length of the room refusing to look at Bella while Rosalie stood in a corner, shell shocked, tears streaming down her face.

"What did you find?" Carlisle asked calmly.

Emmett stopped pacing and held up his hands, shaking them. "Just…just give me a minute. Just give me a minute. Just a minute." He put his head in his hands and stood there not moving.

After a few minutes, he lifted his head and looked straight at Bella, a sense of horror in his eyes. "Rosalie and I drove to Arizona without stopping once," he said quietly. I strained to hear him. "When we got there, we immediately went to the state library and asked to see all of the newspaper archives."

"We looked for five whole days and didn't find anything. Frustrated, we finally decided to try Bella's old house." He shuttered. Bella's eyes moved for the first time in a week. She didn't move anything else as she looked at Emmett.

"When we got there, I had an awful feeling. I told Rosalie to stay in the car and wait for me. It took a little persuasion, but she obeyed and locked the doors as I got out."

Rosalie whimpered in the corner, sinking to the floor. She started rocking back and forth. Alice got up from her spot and went to put her arms around her.

"I walked up to the house expecting someone else to be living there now that it has been a year since Bella left, but no one was there. There were cobwebs all over the front door, and it was unlocked. I walked in and shut the door behind me."

Bella's eyes grew wide in horror, but she kept still.

"The house was trashed. All the furniture was thrown around. Picture frames were broken. Pictures were ripped into tiny pieces. The fridge was open, an awful odor coming from it. All the food was spoiled."

"This confused me. It was as if no one had been there since Bella left."

I looked at Bella and noticed her entire body twitch. "Carlisle?"

"Don't touch her. Keep going Emmett," Carlisle said as he walked over and knelt beside me keeping an eye on Bella.

"I walked up the stairs and found Bella's room. It was just as trashed as the rest of the house, possibly more. The only important thing I found in there was a clump of hair." He pulled out something from his pocket and walked over to me.

"What's that?" I asked.

He held it up by Bella's head, making sure not to touch her. "It's Bella's hair."

A few gasps went around the room. Emmett dropped the hair next to me and walked back to his original spot. "I left Bella's room and followed a red trail, a trail of dried blood, to her parent's room. Something kept telling me to turn around and leave, but I ignored it. I walked in anyway."

Bella slowly sat up halfway, keeping her body supported by her arms. She stared at Emmett. He stared back at her.

"On the floor lay…" He stopped and looked at Bella with an intensity that shocked me. He took a deep breath before continuing. "On the floor," he said slowly, "Lay Bella's parents twisted in ways I didn't think possible."

A few tears slid down Bella's face. She didn't move.

"Her parents were…they were lying in…in a pool of dried blood." Emmett was having a hard time with this. I could tell. But he kept going.

"Rosalie walked into the room then and screamed. She almost fell to the floor, but I caught her. I took her out of the room as quickly as I could and walked her to the car. I locked her in and told her I would be right back."

Rosalie whimpered, and Alice rubbed her back soothingly.

"I walked back into the room and knelt down by Bella's parents. They were withering away, but I could still see the bruises…so many bruises."

Bella looked down and sobbed, her whole body shaking. I was about to put my arm around her, but Carlisle stopped me.

"I called 911 immediately," Emmett continued. "They came and took the bodies. They questioned Rose and me, but I couldn't tell them anything. I didn't know anything. I still don't know anything." He looked at Bella, pleading with her. "Please tell me what happened Bella." He knelt down in front of her. "Please."

Very softly, almost silently, Bella whispered, "I...c-ca-can't." It seemed she had to literally push the words out of her mouth.

Everyone sat there, frozen in shock. Bella had spoken. Sure she had stuttered, but she had spoken for the first time since she came to live with us.

Emmett was the only one who seemed evenly slightly composed. "Please, Bella," he whispered. "Please."

Bella looked at him intently before curling back into a ball. She closed her eyes, tears still streaming down her face.

"Please Bella. The police need to know. _I_ need to know."

She opened her mouth and whispered so quietly that I had to put my ear closer. Emmett did the same.

"I was...I was in...in my room…"

* * *

Oh boy! So, I know it probably isn't what you all expected. I mean, you really don't know what happened. You just know that Bella got her hair ripped out somehow and that her parents were murdered.

Next chapter will be Bella's story. She will be telling everyone everything that happened. Just to warn you though, the details will be a little sketchy, because she is still getting used to talking again.

REVIEW!


	7. Chapter 7

34 reviews for one chapter! YAY! I didn't really want to reply to all 34 individually, so I am saying thank you to all of you now. THANK YOU!

DOUBLE WARNING: This chapter is worse than the last one. It gives full detail on what happened to Bella and her parents. It answers the question of why no one found Charlie and Renee before Emmett. It also answers the question of why Bella is so nervous and scared all the time. If you don't think you can handle it, I would suggest not reading. I will not use foul language. I will not put anything inappropriate. It will just be a little disturbing. : END OF DOUBLE WARNING

JAR:

She opened her mouth and whispered so quietly that I had to put my ear closer. Emmett did the same.

"I was...I was in...in my room…"

* * *

Bella's Point of View

14 Years Old / 15 in two months

"I hate you!" I screamed as I stomped out of my parent's room and into my room. I slammed the door shut and curled into a ball on my bed, turning my I-pod up all the way.

Parents were so stupid! They told me I wasn't aloud to go to a party tonight. If I didn't go though, I would be the social reject of the school.

The excuse for not letting me go? I had too much homework. So I guess you could blame it all on my teachers. Stupid teachers!

Since my I-pod was turned up so high, I didn't hear the commotion that was now going on in my parent's room. I didn't hear anything until a huge man wearing a ski mask climbed through my window and ripped my headphones out of my ears.

I screamed, but he put a gigantic hand over my mouth. "Come on. I want to show you something," he sneered.

He ripped me off of my bed by the hair, pulling out a huge clump. I screamed in pain as he dragged me down the stairs. I tried to escape his grasp by kicking and biting, but he was too strong.

He slammed me onto a chair and tied me up with a bunch of rope. Tears were streaming down my face: I was sobbing hysterically, but he didn't seem to care. He turned the chair around to face the stairs.

"Watch this," he whispered.

At the top of the stairs were two men also in ski masks, each holding one of my parents. I screamed causing all four of them to look at me. My mom was crying, but my dad was looking at me seriously: he was giving me the look that said, "You do as I say. No complaining."

"Stop screaming," he mouthed silently.

I quickly closed my mouth and continued to cry. I looked my parents straight in the face and mouthed, "I love you." They each smiled in return.

"Now!" the man behind me yelled. The men at the top of the stairs thrust my parents down causing them to tumble down the stairs smacking into the walls until they hit the floor.

I screamed and tried to get free, but the ropes were tied too tightly. Each move I made caused them to cut into my skin.

"It's…it's okay," my mom said quietly. She cringed in pain. "It's okay, Bella."

My dad moved to try and get up, but the two men ran down the stairs. One of them stepped on his leg causing him to yell in pain. The other one picked up my mom and carried her over to me. He dropped her on the ground in front of me.

I looked down at her and noticed the tears streaming down her face. My tears ran faster now. "Mom?" I whispered.

"Shh, Bella. Quiet," she whispered. She maneuvered her way around so her head was resting on my lap. I looked at her leg and noticed it was bent in an odd shape. Her arms and what was visible of her legs were bruised from the fall, and her head was cracked open, blood coming out. I looked away from the blood: now was not the time to pass out.

The man with my dad picked him up and brought him over to my mom and me. He dropped him on the ground where he groaned from the pain. Slowly, he scooted over until he was holding my mom's hand. He reached up with his other hand, wincing, and touched my leg.

His leg was also twisted in an odd shape, bruises also covered him, his head was bleeding, and the hand holding my mom's hand was bent in an odd fashion. He didn't seem to notice any of this as he looked up at the three men now standing in front of us.

"Why are you doing this?" my dad asked them bravely.

One of the men laughed and then grew serious. "You, Charlie Swan, chief of police here in good old Phoenix, Arizona. You convicted us all of murder. You sentenced us to life in prison."

"We didn't want to spend life in prison though. So we escaped. It really wasn't that hard. You should try getting more guards." He laughed.

He walked over and kicked my dad's leg. He didn't make a sound.

"I wouldn't worry about anyone missing you guys," the man sneered. "Because you see, I am a very persuasive person. No one will be looking for you anytime soon." He laughed again maniacally this time.

"W-wait," I stuttered. "No one…no one will miss us? Does that mean…"

He cut me off. "Yes, my dear Isabella. I'm going to kill you." He smiled.

I started to sob louder. My mom tried to get me to be quiet, but I couldn't.

"Why…why all of us?" I asked through my tears. I didn't want them to kill my dad, but my mom and I didn't do anything.

"You guys would just go telling everyone," the man sneered. "We can't have that. Besides, would you really want to live without a dad?"

I lowered my head and sobbed. My dad lifted his hand from my leg to my head. My mom patted my leg.

"So…let's get this show on the road!" he exclaimed. He walked back to the other men and looked at my family and me. "I'll take Isabella," he said. "Bob, you take Charlie. And Bill, you take Renee."

They walked over to us. Bob and Bill took my parents by the arms and dragged them up the stairs. I sat there screaming, screaming for them to come back to me, and screaming for them to fight for me.

"What's your name?" I whispered as the last man walked up to me.

He looked at me, a smirk on his face. "I'm Kyle."

He untied me and grabbed my arm, dragging me up the stairs to my parent's room.

"Mom! Dad!" I screamed. I tried to escape Kyle's grip, but he squeezed my arm tighter. I kicked him in the leg, yelling at him to let me go, but he wouldn't listen.

"Watch!" he yelled. He turned my head towards my parents, who were on the floor, huddling next to eachother. Their legs were still bent in odd shapes, and they were still covered in bruises.

"Now!" Kyle yelled.

Bill walked up to my mom and smiled. He pointed a gun at her heart.

"We are going to kill your whole family, Charlie, before we kill you," Kyle said. "And you are going to watch it all."

I looked up at him in shock. I didn't want to die!

I looked back towards my parents. Bill put his finger to the trigger…and fired. My mom jumped once before becoming still in my father's arms.

"MOM!" I screamed. I thrashed around in Kyle's grip trying to break free. "MOM!"

"Renee!" Charlie cried. Tears poured from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Renee," he whispered.

Kyle smiled at him. "And now for Isabella!" He clapped his hands.

"NO!" Charlie roared. Gently, he put my mom on the floor kissing her once, before he got up on his good leg and hopped towards me. "You will not kill my daughter too!" he yelled punching Kyle in the face. Kyle dropped me to the ground and grabbed his nose.

"You idiot!" he yelled.

"Bella?" My dad knelt next to me and put his arms around me. "I love you, Bella," he whispered. "I will always love you. And your mom will too."

I cried into his shoulder. "I don't want you to go. I don't want to die," I sobbed.

"I know baby. I know." He rubbed my back. "It's going to be okay. You aren't going to die."

He let go of me and stood up carefully, supporting his body on his good leg. He looked straight into Kyle's eyes. "You can kill me. You can take whatever you want from my house. But you will _not_ kill my daughter."

"And why should I listen to you?" Kyle sneered.

"She is only fourteen!" my dad exclaimed. "Take her to the adoption agency: we don't have any extended family that would take her. Just don't kill her."

Kyle looked at him oddly. "You love Isabella?" he asked.

"I love her _and_ my wife very much."

They stared at eachother for a bit before Kyle nodded. "Okay," he said. "I'll do that. But not for you. I am doing it because she is so young."

My dad nodded. "Of course." He knelt down and crawled to my mom. He took her in his arms and looked at me. "I love you, Bella," he said.

"No, dad!" I screamed. "Don't leave me!"

"I love you," he repeated.

"NO! I love you too dad! I love you too!"

"Do it now, Bob," Kyle said.

Bob walked over to my dad and pointed the gun at his heart.

"I love you," dad whispered before closing his eyes.

Bob pulled the trigger: It was done.

"NO!" I kicked Kyle hard between the knees and ran to my parents. I knelt down and wrapped them in my arms, covering myself in their blood. "NO!"

The three men walked out of the room, and I could hear them throwing things around all over the house. They were probably stealing every valuable thing they could get their hands on, but I didn't care. My parents were dead, and I couldn't do anything about it.

"I love you," I whispered to them. "I never hated you. I love you."

Kyle ran up the stairs and pulled me away from them kicking and screaming. I don't know why, but he started punching and kicking me everywhere. I cried out in pain and fell to the floor.

"I can't believe I listened to your father!" Kyle yelled. "I should have just killed you!"

I closed my eyes and cried.

"I'm not taking you to the agency. Not yet. You're coming home with me."

He grabbed my arm and dragged me outside through the darkness to the car. I looked out the window, no emotion on my face, staring at the starless night as Bob and Bill got in the car. Kyle drove away, away from my life, away from everything I had ever known.

* * *

I am so sorry! This is so bad! I cried so much while writing it.

Please forgive me.

REVIEW


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks for the reviews. There are too many to respond to individually.

JAR:

He grabbed my arm and dragged me outside through the darkness to the car. I looked out the window, no emotion on my face, staring at the starless night as Bob and Bill got in the car. Kyle drove away, away from my life, away from everything I had ever known.

* * *

Edward's Point of View

Anger, pure anger, coursed through my entire body, my entire soul.

How could someone do something like this to Bella, to her parents, to her life? How could they be so cruel to take away everything she had ever known when she was merely fourteen years old, leaving her in a more than fragile state, leaving her with people who didn't know how to take care of her?

Bella lay curled into a ball on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. She rocked back and forth slowly, whimpers escaping her lips. How could someone so young be in so much pain? It wasn't right.

"Bella?" I whispered. She had just finished her story, each word spoken causing her more pain than the first. She had to literally push the words out of her mouth, the product of being silent for so long. "What did the men do to you after that?" I asked quietly.

The whole family stood in a circle around her, a kind of support system. Only Emmett and I could hear what Bella said: she was so quiet. But the family stayed to let her know they cared. They knew that either Emmett or I would tell the story to them later.

Bella shook her head fiercely indicating that she did not want to speak about it anymore. Emmett didn't understand this though: he wanted the whole story and he wanted it now.

"Bella, please. The police need to know," he said.

Bella whimpered quietly. She continued to rock back and forth trying to comfort herself. Slowly, I moved my fingers across the couch to her arm, stopping mere centimeters from her skin.

Her eyes glazed over as she began picturing things, awful things, things that happened to her. Her whimpering grew more pronounced, her rocking faster.

"Carlisle?" I questioned.

"She's reliving the memories. Don't touch her," he said.

Bella closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She took a deep breath and began whispering, pushing the words through her trembling lips.

"They locked me in a dark room…"

* * *

Bella's Point of View - Right after they arrived at Kyle's house

I didn't really care what happened to me anymore: my whole family was dead now. So I stayed silent and motionless as Kyle dragged me into a house and threw me into a dark room.

"I don't want to hear a sound from you," he growled. "Otherwise I will change my mind and kill you. I'm only keeping you alive because you didn't really do anything wrong."

"My mom didn't do anything wrong," I whispered. "And neither did my dad. You and your friends were the ones who did the wrong."

Kyle looked down at me and smirked before he kicked me in the stomach. I gasped for air and wrapped my arms around myself.

"If you're smart, you'll shut up," Kyle said.

I closed my eyes and tried to erase the images that were bombarding my mind, awful images of bodies twisted into weird shapes, images of my dad's face before he died, images of him holding my mom's limp body.

Kyle laughed. "You know, maybe this will be more fun than killing you. I think I like this idea better."

I shuttered at what he had in mind.

"Keep quiet now," he said faking kindness. "Whatever you do, wherever you go, I'll be watching and listening."

He walked out of the room locking the door behind him, leaving me alone in the darkness, leaving me alone with horrible images running through my mind.

I woke up disoriented, not remembering anything. Slowly, I opened my eyes to find complete black staring at me. I closed my eyes and opened them again only to find the same thing.

So it wasn't a dream. It was all true, it was all real.

I was about to get up to walk around and possibly try to find my way out, but Kyle's statement came to mind. _Keep quiet now. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I'll be watching and listening. _

I closed my eyes and curled into myself. I made a vow right then and there that I wouldn't speak or move from that spot. I didn't want Kyle watching or listening.

Just then, the door opened. The three men from yesterday walked into the room, flipping on the light. I cringed into myself even further.

The men surrounded me: one laughed. "She looks so pitiful." I recognized the voice as Bob's.

One of them kicked me in the leg causing me to cry out in pain. "Oh good," Kyle said. "She's still alive."

I whimpered and grabbed my leg. "So what's the plan?" I recognized that one as Bill.

"I kept her alive because she is so young," Kyle explained. "And she didn't really do anything wrong."

_Neither did my mom or dad,_ I thought.

"Besides, this is more fun. It will be like having that pet we've always wanted!"

I cringed.

"So what do we do with her?" Bill asked.

"I don't particularly feel like feeding her. And I don't feel like letting her out of this room. I say we tie her up and leave her here," Kyle said.

"What's the motive?" Bill asked.

"I don't know. I want to hear her fear." I could hear the smirk in his voice as I closed my eyes.

_Well you're going to be disappointed, _I thought. I wasn't going to give in to his sick, twisted pleasures. I was going to keep quiet and try to figure out a way to escape.

"So I suppose we leave," Bill said.

"You two go. I have some things planned for this morning." He laughed.

I listened as Bill and Bob left the room, shutting the door behind them. I only opened my eyes once I was sure it was just Kyle and me.

"So this is what I'm planning," he said conversationally. Why was he telling me his plans? "I'm going to tie you up, and then I will proceed to beat you. I figure, if I can't kill you…I wouldn't want the dead coming to haunt me…I might as well have my fun with you somehow."

So he was superstitious?

"I don't know how long I want to keep you. I have to take you to the adoption agency sooner or later. Again, I wouldn't want the dead coming to haunt me. I suppose we will just play it by ear."

He smiled down at me and walked to a closet at the opposite end of the room. He opened it and came back with a handful of ropes. "These will do," he said casually. He threw them onto a huge bed and then grabbed for my arm. On instinct, I kicked him in the leg.

"Gosh!" he yelled. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" He grabbed me roughly and flung me onto the bed.

"Stay still!" he ordered. He grabbed one of the ropes and tied my hands behind my back and through the bedpost. He tied my legs together and then proceeded to tie my neck to the bedpost. If I moved even an inch, the rope choked me.

"There. That's much better," Kyle said. He smiled at me and picked up the last rope. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

PRESENT TIME - Edward's Point of View

"H-he beat me with that r-rope every day for t-two months," Bella whispered. "He only fed me o-one a week, and when he d-did feed me, it was only a s-small piece of bread and a c-carrot stick."

I shuttered, trying to keep control of myself. I wanted to jump up and punch something, anything.

"I kept silent through it all," Bella continued quietly. "Because every d-day, _he_ would say 'Keep quiet now. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I'll be watching and listening.' Eventually, I couldn't t-talk even if I wanted to. My m-mind wouldn't let me."

"At the end of two months, _he_ came into the room acting d-different than usual."

* * *

BELLA'S 15th BIRTHDAY - Bella's Point of View

I had my eyes closed as I sat on the bed, tied up still. I didn't dare move even an inch. I had already almost choked myself before.

Kyle walked into the room, his hands in his hair. "It's time to take you to the agency," he said. "The cops, they are getting close to figuring this all out."

Instinctively, my body tightened. I would not trust him. I would expect the worst.

"None of the neighbors have found your parents yet," he said. "I made sure that they thought your family was moving. They think your old house is deserted."

I stared at him wide eyed. My parents still lay there in my house?

"The cops are starting to figure out _this_ situation though. They are starting to suspect the kidnapping thing. So I'm taking you to the agency."

He walked over to me and roughly untied my legs first. I cringed into myself not wanting to be touched. He untied my arms next and my neck last. I slumped against the headboard.

"I suppose you are too weak to move on your own," Kyle said. He picked me up and walked out the door. I stayed tense in his arms.

He put me in a car and drove away quickly not allowing me to see exactly where we were. He pulled into a parking lot a little while later and walked around to my door. He opened it and pulled me out into his arms again.

He put me on the doorstep of the agency and knelt down. I looked away from him up into the starlit sky.

"I would have kept you longer, but I don't want the cops after me. So this is where we part." He ran his finger along my cheek. I cringed away from him. "But that doesn't mean that I won't be watching you. Always remember Isabella, Keep quiet now. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I'll be watching and listening."

He knocked on the door loudly and ran away leaving me alone, curled into myself.

* * *

PRESENT DAY - Edward's Point of View

Bella closed her mouth and began to sob louder than before. Her eyes stayed glazed over: she was still remembering those awful times.

Emmett stood up and looked away from her. "I have to go," he said gruffly.

"Why?" Rosalie asked. She shot out of Alice's grip and ran to him. "You can't leave me!"

"Rose, you know what happened the last time you came with me. I don't want you coming."

"You don't want me?" she asked hurt.

"Of course I want you baby. I just don't want you to see what I am about to do."

"What are you going to do?" Carlisle asked standing up.

"I'm going to go commit a murder."

He walked out the door leaving us all staring after him in shock.

"What do we do?" Esme asked. "He can't go murdering someone."

"Let him go," I said angrily. "This…this scumbag…deserves to die!"

Bella began to shake on the couch. I moved my hand away quickly and looked down at her. Her eyes were not only glazed over, but they were distant, seeing even more into the past.

"Carlisle!" I shouted.

He knelt down quickly.

"What's happening to her?" I asked.

Bella let out a screech as she started to thrash around. She screamed over and over, smacking her arms and legs into the air, trying to get away from her memory.

"She's too into the memory. We need to get her out before she hurts herself," Carlisle said. "We're going to have to touch her."

I nodded letting him know I would do whatever it took to help Bella.

"You need to take her arms and put them above her head. Hold them down. I will restrain her legs."

"What?" I shouted. "That's horrible! I can't do that!"

"It sounds horrible, but we need to stop her from moving! If you won't do it, I'll get Esme or someone else to do it!"

I shook my head and turned to Bella. "I'm sorry," I whispered before I grabbed her arms. She continued to thrash around and scream, her screaming becoming more violent as Carlisle and I touched her.

I put her arms above her head and restrained them as gently as I could while Carlisle did the same with her legs.

"Now what?" I asked struggling to keep Bella still.

"Talk to her. She seems to trust you more than anyone," Carlisle said.

"Bella," I said. "Bella, it's okay. It's not real. You are safe. I'm here for you. We are all here for you."

She stopped thrashing around but continued to sob and scream loudly, her body still tensing up.

"Bella, it's okay. It's okay." I leaned closer to her and started humming in her ear. I hummed a song that I wrote only days ago on the piano, a song that I wrote for her.

The reaction was immediate. She stopped screaming and lay there staring at me, her eyes no longer glazed over or distant.

I continued to hum to her as Carlisle let go of her legs and I let go of her arms.

"Everyone can leave. Bella needs her space right now," Carlisle whispered. The family proceeded to leave the room until Bella and I were the only ones left.

The song ended and Bella tensed up. So I started humming it again. Her brown eyes grew huge as she stared at me seeming to be in a trance.

The song ended for the second time. I ran my fingers through Bella's hair, and this time, she didn't tense up. She was completely relaxed.

"It's okay," I whispered. "I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

She looked at me one more time before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

* * *

WOW! That was exciting. I am very proud of this chapter. Do _you_ like it?

REVIEW!


	9. Chapter 9

I don't own it.

JAR:

"It's okay," I whispered. "I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

She looked at me one more time before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

* * *

Edward's Point of View

While Bella slept, I carefully climbed onto the couch next to her. I put my arms around her and held her close to me.

She was so warm and innocent. I couldn't believe anyone would do something so cruel, so stupid! If Emmett didn't kill the men, I would.

Sometime during the night, I fell asleep to the lullaby of Bella's slow and even breathing.

I woke up when someone smacked me in the face. I fell off the couch creating a loud bang. Bella looked down at me, fear written on her face.

_What the crap?_

Then it all clicked. She woke up to find my arms wrapped around her. She freaked out. She was the one who smacked me.

Slowly, I sat up staring at her intently. "I'm sorry, Bella," I whispered. "I didn't mean to scare you."

She continued to stare at me, the fear only dissipating slightly.

"Do you want to get that feeding tube out of you so you can eat normally?" I asked quietly.

She nodded once quickly. I stood up. "Carlisle?" I called. I looked at my watch and realized it was ten in the morning.

Carlisle came down the stairs slowly so as not to scare Bella. He walked in the room smiling at her. "What can I do for you?" he asked me.

"Bella wants her feeding tube out so she can eat normally," I said.

"Well let's get that taken care of then!" He knelt down, and I knelt next to him. "I'm going to have to touch you Bella," Carlisle warned.

She immediately cringed into the couch shaking her head violently. I guess she was done talking.

"To get the tube out, I have to," Carlisle said.

She shook her head again as I got a brilliant idea. I leaned towards her and began humming her song, her lullaby. She immediately relaxed and stared at me wide eyed.

"What the heck?" Carlisle asked.

I just shook my head and continued to hum softly. Carlisle shook his head and proceeded to carefully take out the feeding tube. Bella didn't flinch once.

When he was done, he walked out of the room leaving her and me alone. I stopped humming once the song was over.

"Do you want to go eat?" I asked softly.

She nodded her head slowly and sat up. Very slowly, she stood up. "Do…do you want me to support you?" I asked as she swayed slightly.

She looked at me intently for a minute before nodding slowly. I walked over to her and carefully wrapped my arm around her waist. She flinched and stayed stiff in my grip, but she didn't move away from me.

"Relax, Bella," I whispered.

She wouldn't. She still had to get used to being touched again.

I hummed her lullaby again and felt her literally turn to jelly in my arms. She stared at me. I almost laughed. This was so weird!

"Do you like me humming?" I asked after a minute.

She nodded at me. "I like it a lot," she whispered so softly that I almost didn't hear it.

I smiled. "You should talk more. Your voice is beautiful." Even as a whisper, it was like music to my ears.

She smiled slightly, the first almost smile I had seen on her face since she came to live with us. Her smile turned to a frown almost instantly. "It's hard for me, you know, to talk," she whispered. "It's like my brain doesn't want me to. Sometimes, I can't get any words out no matter how hard I try."

"It's because you went through something very terrible," I said softly. She tensed in my arms. "Your mind just has to get used to talking and interacting with people again."

She nodded and looked away. I stared at her intently. "What's wrong, Bella?" I asked quietly.

"I don't want to remember," she whispered. Slowly, I turned her face towards me with my finger and looked her in the eyes. A few tears slid down her face.

"It's okay to remember," I said. "You just need to learn to deal with your memories."

"No it's not okay," she whispered. "I just want to forget. I want everything to go back to normal." She buried her head in my chest and cried.

Slowly so as not to startle her, I wrapped my arms around her and rubbed her back soothingly. "I know you do, Bella. But they can't go back to normal. I can help you though. My family can help you."

She nodded into my chest and pulled away, wiping at her eyes. "Can I eat?" she whispered.

I nodded and put my arms around her waist again. She flinched once and then relaxed slightly. "Don't let go of me," she whispered as we walked into the kitchen.

I smiled, happy that she seemed to trust me a little bit again. Everyone except for Emmett, Carlisle, and Rosalie was in the kitchen. Bella froze after setting eyes on them.

"It's okay, Bella," I whispered. "No one is going to hurt you."

"Bella!" Alice said. She walked over and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Bella nodded to show she was fine. _She only talks to me?_ I thought.

"What would you like to eat?" Esme asked kindly.

Bella leaned into me further, scared. She grabbed my shirt and wouldn't let go.

"She's a bit nervous," I told everyone. "Why don't you just make her some eggs and toast," I suggested. "Is that okay Bella?"

She nodded into me. I smiled as I walked over to the table. I tried to get her to sit in her own chair, but she wouldn't allow me to let go of her. So I sat down and put her chair right next to mine, holding her around the waist still.

She was in no way relaxed.

She ate slowly: it seemed hard for her to chew. I ate at the same pace so she wouldn't feel the need to rush. Everyone else at the table caught on and ate slowly as well.

"Hey Bella," Alice said as we ate. "Do you want to go shopping with me? We could get you some new clothes."

Bella shook her head quickly. She leaned into me further as she put her fork down.

"Edward could go with," Alice suggested.

I glared at her. Was she trying to scare Bella? "Alice, could I please speak with you?" I asked.

"Sure." She smiled and stood up walking out of the room. I stood up, but Bella wouldn't let go of me.

"Bella, I will just be a minute. I promise."

She still wouldn't let go, so I hummed a little bit of her lullaby. She immediately relaxed and allowed me to walk out of the room.

"What did you need?" Alice asked.

"She is not ready to go shopping Alice," I said. "I can't believe you even suggested that!"

"While you and Bella were asleep, you wrapped around her I might add," she smirked. "Carlisle said we needed to start getting Bella into a more normal lifestyle. He said we need to have her do things out of the house so she can start feeling better around people."

I sighed. Maybe Carlisle was right. Maybe Bella needed this. "Fine. But I'm going with. We don't want to traumatize her even more."

Alice nodded and walked back into the kitchen. I followed behind.

Bella was curled into a little ball on her chair rocking back and forth, whimpering softly.

"She did that right after you left," Jasper said. "I tried to talk to her, to make her feel better, but she wouldn't listen."

I nodded and sat down in my chair. I put my arms around Bella causing her to jump and scream. I pulled away.

"Bella! Bella, it's me. It's just me." I hummed her lullaby and saw her whole body relax. I put my arms around her and pulled her close to me.

Everyone went back to eating, everyone except for Bella. She clung to me as if her life depended on it. That's probably what she thought.

"What is that song you are always humming to her?" Esme asked.

For once, I didn't get mad that she had spoken as if Bella wasn't here. Bella was only here in body: I could tell she was not here in spirit. She stared ahead of her, her eyes unfocused.

"I wrote her a song on the piano. It seems to calm her down. I don't really know why," I answered.

"You should try playing it on the piano for her. It would be interesting to see how she would react," Jasper said.

Alice nodded in agreement and changed the subject. "I am done eating now. I am going to go get ready. You and Bella should do the same."

She stood up and left the room. Jasper stood up as well. "I'm going to go with you guys, so I better go get ready too." He left the room.

"Where's Carlisle?" I asked Esme.

"He had to go into the hospital right after you and Bella got up. Rosalie is up in her room: she refuses to come out until Emmett gets back."

"Okay. I'm going to go help Bella get ready and everything. Thanks for the food."

"Your welcome."

I stood up, pulling Bella out of her daydreaming. I pulled her up next to me. She clung to me as we walked up the stairs to her room.

"Can you take a shower on your own?" I asked her. She hadn't showered in over a week.

"Yes," she whispered. She let go of me, immediately wrapping her arms around herself, and walked to her closet. She grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweater before walking back to me. I put my arms around her again and walked her to the bathroom.

"I will change quickly," I told her. "I'll be waiting right here when you're done."

She nodded and shut the door behind her.

I ran into my bathroom and took possibly the fastest shower ever. I changed quickly and ran a brush through my hair once before running back to the bathroom Bella was in. The water was not on, so I assumed she was done.

"Bella?" I called.

I thought I heard her whisper something, but I couldn't be sure. I sat down against the wall to wait.

About five minutes later, Bella opened the door and walked out, her arms wrapped around herself. Her hair was dripping wet. It didn't look like she had tried to brush or dry it.

I smiled at her and chuckled. "You didn't dry your hair, Bella," I said. She looked at me wide eyed. "I'll help you."

I ushered her back into the bathroom and shut the door. She stood against the wall as I got out the hair dryer and a brush. "Sit on the toilet," I told her.

She did as I said and slumped over, wrapping her arms around her knees.

"You are going to have to sit up," I said softly.

She whimpered. "I know this is hard for you, but it's going to be okay. I wouldn't hurt you," I said.

"I know you wouldn't," she whispered almost inaudibly. "But my body doesn't."

I nodded. "Well, your body will learn in time. For now, how about I hum for you?"

I started humming her lullaby and smiled as she sat up and stared at me wide eyed. I pulled the brush carefully through her hair reveling in the feeling and then proceeded to blow dry it.

When I was done, I looked at her long hair and frowned. "Do you want your hair cut?" I asked, pausing in my humming. It was past the middle of her back.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Alice!" I called. She came running in the room a second later. "Bella wants her hair cut. Could you do it?"

"Sure! Let me go get some scissors."

She ran out and was back a little bit later, a pair of scissors in her hand. "Make it simple, Alice," I warned. "No bangs or layers or anything fancy. She wouldn't want to deal with that."

"Sure thing. How am I going to touch her though?" she asked.

I started humming so Bella would relax. Alice smiled and got to work. A little while later, she brushed her off one last time and smiled at her work. "Beautiful! Now, be ready to go in five minutes." She ran out of the room.

I looked at Bella and nearly gasped. Her hair was now a little past her shoulders. There was nothing fancy about it, but the shorter hair made her look even more beautiful than before, if that were even possible.

"What?" Bella whispered, frightened.

I smiled reassuringly at her. "Nothing. You just look beautiful."

Her lip twitched into a small smiled as she stood up. She looked at herself in the mirror once before quickly turning away, a frown on her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked softly. "Do you not like it?"

"I like it," she whispered. "It's just…" She looked down. "I'm not beautiful like you said."

I frowned and slowly wrapped my arms around her. She twitched slightly and then relaxed. "Isabella, you are more than beautiful."

She stiffened in my grasp. I looked at her oddly before realizing my mistake. "Oh. Sorry. _Bella,_" I corrected. "You are more than beautiful. How could you think differently?"

"How could I be beautiful?" she whispered. "I'm too broken and scared to be beautiful." A few tears slid down her face.

I frowned and pulled her closer to me. "Bella, you are not broken. And you are scared for good reason. In time, you will learn to not be scared."

"You are beautiful, and that is fact. You can't deny it." I smiled and kissed her lightly on the head. She froze.

I pulled away quickly and stared at her. How could I have just done that?

"I-I'm sorry, Bella," I whispered. "I'm sorry."

"It's…it's fine," she whispered shaking her head. "I just…I'm not used to that."

Slowly, I put my arm around her waist. "Are you ready to go?" I asked softly.

"Sure." We walked out of the bathroom not looking at eachother, Bella stiff as could be.

What had I done?

* * *

So I got less reviews last chapter. That could be because I didn't wait a while to get more, but I don't know. Are you all still liking the story? Should I continue?

REVIEW!


	10. Chapter 10

You all said you wanted me to continue, so I will continue.

This chapter will turn the course of the story around probably a full 360 degrees. Be prepared!

I don't own it.

JAR:

"Sure." We walked out of the bathroom not looking at eachother, Bella stiff as could be.

What had I done?

* * *

Edward's Point of View

Alice pulled into the parking lot of the mall and immediately got out. Jasper turned around and looked at Bella, concerned at how she clung to me as if her life depended on it.

"Is she…I mean, are you going to be okay, Bella?" he asked.

She clung to me tighter and nodded slowly.

"I will keep a hold of her the entire time, Jasper," I reassured him. "You have nothing to worry about."

"I can practically feel the waves of fear coming off of her though. Are you sure this is such a good idea?"

"I don't know Jasper, but we can't go back now. Let's just spend as little time as possible."

He nodded and got out of the car. I opened my door and helped Bella out. Alice wrapped her arms around Jasper and smiled. "Let's just get Bella one outfit today. We don't want to terrify her too much," she said.

I nodded in agreement and looked down at Bella. "Are you okay with that?" I asked her.

She nodded into me and wrapped her arms tighter around my waist. I held her close to reassure her that I wouldn't leave her.

We walked into the mall, and I immediately noticed the change in Bella. She clung to me even tighter, her eyes were more alert, and she looked everywhere as if searching for someone.

"Bella, it's okay. Relax," I whispered.

She couldn't relax though. The mall was so big and there were too many people she didn't know.

I wished beyond everything in the world that I could help her relax. I wished that she would be more comfortable around me. She held onto me and trusted me, but she still wasn't quite comfortable yet. She still jumped whenever I touched her. She still couldn't relax completely in my arms even when we were alone.

I sighed and walked her to a little clothing store.

* * *

Bella's Point of View

Edward walked with me into the clothing store not seeming to care that I was clinging to him like a little child. I was more than grateful for his presence. I just wished I could tell my body to stop being so tense. I knew Edward wouldn't hurt me.

After a while, I moved my eyes to the exit and froze. Standing there staring at me with an intensity that would scare anyone was Bill and Bob. This could only mean one thing…_he_ was here somewhere.

I started to breathe faster, panicking. I tried to look away from Bill and Bob's gazes, but they had locked me in. I couldn't do anything but stand there frozen in shock.

"Bella?" Edward asked quietly.

Memories, awful memories of the room, of my parents, of bodies distorted, bruises, so many bruises...

I watched as Emmett came up behind the men and grabbed them by the necks, dragging them outside. Kyle came running around the corner, looked at me once, and then went after his accomplices.

I was full out hyperventilating now. Edward needed to get me out of here.

* * *

Edward's Point of View

After a while of following Alice and Jasper around, Bella froze. She stared off into the distance, her eyes wide with panic.

"Bella?" I asked quietly.

She didn't respond to my voice. She started breathing heavily before she went into full hyperventilation mode.

"Alice, I need to take Bella out," I said quickly.

Alice and Jasper both turned toward me. They took one look at Bella's white face and noticed her labored breathing before nodding quickly. "Get her out," Jasper said.

I walked as quickly as I could, Bella clinging to my shirt with all her strength, and sat her down on the sidewalk outside the mall. I made sure the area was secluded so she could calm down.

I turned her so her face was in my chest and rubbed her back soothingly, humming her lullaby softly. This time though, my humming didn't seem to help her. She continued to gasp for air as tears streamed down her face.

"Bella," I whispered. "Bella, it's okay. I'm here for you. No one is going to hurt you. It's okay."

I rocked her back and forth slowly trying to calm her down. "It…it's…he's…and I…"

I pulled her away from me and looked her in the eyes. "What are you trying to say? Calm down, Bella. What do you want to say?"

She shook with the effort it took her to talk. "He's…they're…he's here. He…and Emmett…and…"

My eyes widened in shock. "What?" I whispered.

She froze in my arms and stared past my shoulder, her eyes wide with fear. I turned around, keeping my arms around her, and tried to see what she was looking at. At first, I didn't see anything. After a bit though, I noticed four figures running towards us.

"Who are they?" I asked Bella softly.

She shook violently in my arms, almost as if she were having a seizure. I tried to stand up, but she held onto me, digging her nails into my skin.

"Ow! Bella, it's okay."

She continued to shake as the four figures came quickly closer. After a bit, I could make them out. One of them was Emmett. The other three, I didn't recognize.

"Do you know those men?" I asked Bella quietly.

"B…bi…bill and b…bob," she said through her shaking. "And…and…K…Kyle." She let out a whimper and shook even more.

I gasped. What were they thinking coming here? I was going to rip them to shreds!

Quickly, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Jasper's number. He answered on the first ring.

"How's she doing?" he asked.

"Get out here now," I said through my teeth. I hung up the phone before he could respond.

Kyle, Bill, Bob, and Emmett reached us then. They stood in a circle around us panting hard.

"What the heck are you doing here?" I asked angrily. "And why didn't you keep them away?" I asked Emmett.

"I…tried," he gasped. "They followed you guys…here. I couldn't stop…them."

Bella screamed in my arms and nearly choked me, her arms wrapping around my neck. I stood up quickly and nearly fell back over as she flung her legs around me, crushing her entire body to me.

"You stay away," I yelled. "You stay away from her!"

Kyle, having caught his breath, walked slowly closer to me. "She's mine," he whispered eerily.

"She is not!" I yelled. Emmett jumped in between us, putting his arms out.

Jasper came running out, Alice right behind him. "What's going on?" Jasper asked.

"Take Bella inside. NOW!" I tried to pass her over to him, but she wouldn't let go of me.

"Bella, you need to go with Jasper," I said quickly trying to stay calm. "You need to go with Jasper and Alice."

"Come on Bella. Please come with me," Jasper said.

She shook her head violently. "NO!" she screamed. "NO!"

Everyone froze in shock. We had never heard that much sound come out of Bella before.

I had no choice. Bella had to stay with me: she refused to let go. I looked at Jasper. "Call Carlisle," I whispered quickly. "Have him come with the police. Get Alice out of here and get as far away as you can."

He nodded once and grabbed Alice before running away. "Bella, you need to get on my back," I whispered.

She swung herself around my body so quickly I almost fell over. She put her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist, holding onto me tightly.

"Duck your head down," I whispered. She did as she was told.

I turned to Kyle and stared him straight in the face, pushing Emmett to the side.

"What do you want?"

* * *

REVIEW PLEASE!


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you so much for the reviews!

I don't own it.

JAR:

I turned to Kyle and stared him straight in the face, pushing Emmett to the side.

"What do you want?"

* * *

Edward's Point of View

"I don't understand it," Emmett whispered to himself.

I nudged him in the side. "Shut up," I whispered. I turned back to Kyle. "I said, what do you want?" I asked.

Bella whimpered into my shoulder as Kyle spoke. "I told you, Isabella," he said. "I told you I would be watching and listening."

"You can talk to me," I said forcefully. "Leave Bella out of this."

He smiled. "How about you hand her over now and I will leave you and your brother alone?"

I laughed humorlessly. "Yeah right. Wherever Bella goes, I go."

He smiled. "Awe. How sweet! He's in love!"

"If you don't have any plans, we will just be going now," I said.

"No, no. Wait just a second. I have plans." He smirked. "You can either follow me now or I will forcefully knock you out and drag you where we're going."

"You need to answer some questions first," I said. "What do you want with Bella?"

"I thought the cops were after me when I dropped Isabella off at the agency, but it turns out they weren't. I never wanted to let her go, so I have come back for her. Now choose," Kyle answered impatiently.

"Walk," I said.

"Good choice." He turned around and started walking, Bill and Bob following after.

"Are we seriously going to follow them?" Emmett asked. "I think we should just make a break for it."

I glared at him. "Follow me," I whispered. "Quickly. Although I wouldn't particularly be upset if you got killed right now."

He looked at me in shock but followed as I bolted for the mall, Bella still firmly on my back. She continued to cry softly against my shoulder.

We ran into a clothing store and hid in one of the changing rooms, locking the door behind us.

I turned to Emmett and let loose.

"What the heck do you think you were doing back there?" I yelled. "You nearly got Bella killed! How could you just stand there allowing them to get so close to her?"

"I…I…"

"You were supposed to be protecting her! But you let them get within arms length of her! They are probably looking for us right now. Are you going to let them get that close again? Are you that stupid?"

"That's what I don't understand!" Emmett shouted. "I wanted to punch them, to push them away, but I couldn't! It was like my body was locked! I couldn't move! All I could do was stand there with my arms spread out like a freaking idiot!"

It was silent for a minute before I realized Bella was sobbing loudly, shaking incredibly fast against my back. I pulled her off and sat down cradling her in my lap.

"Shh, Bella. It's over now. It's over," I whispered.

Emmett slid down beside me. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I really wanted to beat his face in. I wanted to beat all of their faces in. I just…couldn't. I don't understand why."

"Just…just stay quiet," I whispered. I began humming Bella's lullaby trying to calm her down.

That's when the banging started.

"You stupid idiot!" Kyle yelled from the other side of the door. "I should have just knocked you out right there!"

Bella shook in my arms. I continued to hum in her ear softly.

"You get out here right now!" Kyle yelled. "Or I will break this door down!"

Emmett was about to say something, but I shook my head violently placing one finger on my lips, still humming. He kept quiet.

Slowly, I scooted away from the door to the other side of the dressing room, Bella still in my arms. Emmett did the same. I knew that any second now, the door would be ripped into shreds, so I covered Bella with myself. Emmett threw himself over her as well leaving no spot of her uncovered.

She whimpered softly in my arms, shaking still. My humming only seemed to be helping slightly.

It happened. The door shattered into a million pieces sending little fragments of the wood flying everywhere. I ducked my head into Bella, my humming coming in short gasps. She screamed so loud, I swear my eardrums burst.

"I told you, you are coming with me!" Kyle shouted.

"We need to hurry," Bill said to Kyle. "The cops have most likely been alerted."

"Shut up!" Kyle yelled. He picked up a long piece of wood and held it up to me. "Get away from her!" he shouted.

"No," Emmett and I both growled.

"Suit yourself." He smashed the wood into my head. I blacked out.

* * *

When I came two, I looked around trying to figure out where I was. The room was dark, and all I could make out were two shapes lying next to me.

_Emmett and Bella_, I thought.

I scooted over and nudged the bigger one in the head. He groaned and sat up slowly, rubbing his head. "Where are we?" he asked.

"Shh!" I whispered. "I think we are in the room Bella described to us."

"How is Bella?" he asked.

I scooted over to her and shook her lightly. She stirred and sat up very slowly. She was calm at first, but then she remembered what happened. She started to scream, but I clamped my hand over her mouth. "Shh, Bella! It's just me, Edward. And Emmett is here too. Everything is going to be fine," I whispered.

She clung to me tightly, her body shaking violently. I wrapped my arms around her and turned to Emmett. "What do we do?" I asked him quietly.

"I don't know."

"You are the one who knows where we are. You have been here before. Where are we?"

"We are in Phoenix, a few miles from Bella's house," Emmett answered.

Bella whimpered in my arms. I rocked her back and forth. "Don't worry, Bella," I whispered. "We will get out of here."

Just then, the door flew open and the light turned on. I squinted against it and looked Kyle straight in the face as he spoke.

"I was hoping you would all be awake!" he said clapping his hands. "Now we can get on with the plans!"

He walked over to the closet and got out a bunch of ropes and a hammer. He walked over to Emmett and smiled. "Do you want me to knock you out with this hammer, or will you let me tie you up without a fuss?" Kyle asked.

"Just tie me up," Emmett growled.

"Very well." He grabbed Emmett and dragged him onto the bed where he ties his arms behind his back, his legs together, and his neck to the bedpost.

"What's your choice, Edward?" Kyle asked walking back over.

"You can do whatever you want, but Bella stays with me," I said through clenched teeth.

"Oops. Sorry. I can't do that." He ripped Bella's screaming form out of my arms and threw her across the room. She landed with a dull thud against the floor and was silent.

"NO!" I screamed. I tried to go to her, but Kyle grabbed me and forced me onto the bed. He tied me up next to Emmett and smiled.

He walked across the room and picked Bella up. He threw her on the bed next to me and tied her up. "I'll be back later," he said menacingly before walking out the door. He forgot to turn off the light on his way out.

I turned my head as best as I could and looked at Bella's still form. She had bruises along her arm and leg from Kyle throwing her and her head was bleeding. "Bella," I whispered trying to move closer to her. I only wound up choking myself, so I stayed still. "Bella, please wake up"

"I can try and get out of these ropes," Emmett whispered. "They aren't that strong."

"Okay. If he comes back though, act like you are still tied up."

"Okay." He got to work.

I turned slowly back to Bella. "Bella, sweetie, please wake up. Please," I whispered.

She stirred slightly and winced. "Ow," she moaned softly.

I smiled despite the situation. "It's okay, Bella. Open your eyes for me," I whispered.

Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped in pain.

"Shh. It's okay Bella. You are going to be okay. Tell me what hurts," I said soothingly.

"My…my ribs," she whispered. Tears streamed down her face. "I can't…I can't breathe."

"Crap!" I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. "Emmett, hurry up. She broke some ribs. We need to set them."

"I'm…trying," he gasped as he pulled every way possible trying to break free.

"What else hurts, Bella," I said trying to stay calm as I looked at her.

"My…head," she whispered. "And…my arm."

"Did you try to catch yourself when Kyle threw you?" I asked.

"Yes," she whimpered.

"Emmett, hurry up! Her arm is broken too!"

"Shut up man!" Emmett whispered loudly. "I'm doing the best I can!"

Bella started shaking with the intensity of her sobs. She wheezed, trying to breathe, and coughed constantly.

"Bella, you need to stay still!" I whispered urgently. "You can't be moving with those broken ribs!"

She didn't listen. She kept shaking and crying, trying to get a good breath in. "Emmett!" I whispered loudly.

"I got it!" Emmett said. He ripped his arms from the bedpost and quickly untied first his neck and then his legs.

"Untie me now," I said quickly.

He untied me quickly and quietly before moving towards Bella. I moved with him. "Be careful," I told him as he untied her neck. I untied her arms and legs. She immediately fell into me and sobbed breathlessly.

"It…hurts," she whimpered. "I can't…breathe."

"We need to get out of here before we can set her ribs," I told Emmett, rubbing Bella's back soothingly.

"Can't we just do it here?" he asked.

"No! She will be too loud."

We looked around the room before I spotted a window covered with a piece of wood. "Emmett, go break that wood off the window. We can climb out that way."

Emmett jumped off the bed and quietly ripped the board off. He opened the window slowly and looked out. "It leads to the beach," he said quietly. "We can get help there."

"Emmett, it's night. No one will be there!"

"We can at least hide out there for a while and call someone on your phone!"

"Fine." Slowly, trying not to jostle her too much, I lifted Bella into my arms and climbed off the bed. She moaned in pain, her eyes closing, her arm cradled against her chest.

"Shh," I whispered. "It's almost over."

I walked quickly to the window. Emmett quietly climbed through and held out his arms. Slowly, I passed Bella to him. She cringed in his arms but stayed still. I think her ribs hurt too much to complain.

"I have to go," I told Emmett. "I need to knock them out or something so I can call the police."

"Edward, Bella won't like that!" he said. "And I don't know how to set ribs!"

"I have to Emmett!"

"We need to get Bella to safety. Please, Edward. Please just come with. _I_ will go back. You can take Bella to the beach. _You_ know how to set her ribs. _You_ know how to calm her down."

I looked at him before nodding quickly. "Fine. Back up." He did so and I climbed through the window. Emmett handed Bella to me before climbing back through the window.

"Be safe," I whispered. "Bella and I will be at the beach. Come immediately after everything is taken care of. If you don't come back, I will be forced to come in after you."

"No. Stay with Bella. I will be fine. I'll meet you both in about an hour." He smiled and turned away. I ran quickly, Bella bouncing slightly in my arms.

I found a little cave about a mile into the beach and ran into it. I sat down against the wall and lay Bella's whimpering body carefully onto the ground, resting her head in my lap.

"Okay, Bella," I said, panting slightly. "I'm going to set your ribs now."

She nodded slowly. I found a stick on the floor and handed it to her. "Bite this," I said.

She put it in her mouth and bit down.

I ran my hands softly along her ribs and quickly found the problem spot. I put my hands around it and sighed. "Okay, Bella. One…two…" I jerked my hands. Bella screamed, the stick falling out of her mouth. I held her close to me, humming her lullaby.

"Okay. Okay. It's over," I whispered, a few tears sliding down my face. "It's over. It's okay."

She cried and shook violently in my arms. I quickly took off one of my long socks and carefully took her broken arm in my hands. She winced and cried harder. "I need to wrap your arm up," I said. I very quickly but very softly wrapped my sock around her back and arm, keeping it tight against her chest. I was very glad I had worn such long socks today.

I then took off my shirt. "I need to wrap your ribs up," I whispered as she continued to cry. I wrapped by shirt tightly around her small body and took off my second sock. I washed it in a little puddle of water and put it against her bleeding head, applying pressure. I pulled her into my arms. "There. It's all over now. It's all over."

She continued to shake, sobs leaving her lips. Her eyes stayed closed as I looked at her tear stained face.

I began humming her lullaby softly as tears streamed down my face. My humming sounded distorted by my sobs, but I kept going. Eventually, Bella stilled in my arms and fell asleep.

Carefully, I pulled out my cell phone. Amazingly, I had one bar of service. I quickly dialed Carlisle's number.

It rang only once.

"Edward!" Carlisle said, relief coloring his voice. "Where are you?"

"I'm in a cave at a beach in Phoenix. I don't know where exactly," I answered quietly.

"Are you alone?"

"No. Bella is with me. Emmett went back in the house to take care of Kyle, Bill, and Bob."

"He went in alone?" Carlisle nearly yelled.

"Bella broke some ribs and her arm. Her head was bleeding badly, and I had to get her out of there. Emmett didn't know how to set her ribs and everything. So he went back in." My voice sounded monotone even to me.

Carlisle breathed in and out slowly. "You need to go somewhere that you recognize, somewhere with an address so I can find you."

"I can't leave. Emmett is supposed to meet me here at the beach."

Just as I spoke this, a big, burly figure stumbled into the cave. "I heard you talking," he whispered. "It's all taken care of."

"Emmett is here now," I said into the phone.

"Good. You all need to go somewhere recognizable. Call me when you find a place." He hung up.

I put my phone in my pocket and looked at Emmett who lye there panting heavily. "What happened?" I asked.

"I knocked Bill and Bob out easy. Kyle was a little harder. I think he broke my leg. I was able to finally knock him out though. I tied them all up and called the police. They were on their way when I left."

"Carlisle said we need to go somewhere recognizable," I said. "But you can't walk."

"Hand me your phone," he said quietly. I pulled my phone out and gave it to him.

"Carlisle?" he asked, putting the phone to his ear.

"Yes. I'm fine. We are all fine. We are going to stay at the beach…calm down! Listen to me! The address of the house we were at is…"

Emmett told Carlisle the address. He told him the beach was right behind it and that we were in a cave.

"Don't go into the house," Emmett warned. "We'll see you soon." He hung up and handed me my phone back.

We sat in silence for a while before I sighed. "How's your leg?" I asked quietly.

"It's fine. It doesn't hurt too bad."

I laughed humorlessly. "I'm the only one that didn't get hurt. It should have been me," I said bitterly.

"You saved Bella's life by getting her out of there and by helping with her wounds, Edward."

"She shouldn't have been hurt though. I should have."

"No, because you are more stable than she is. She wouldn't have known what to do if you got hurt."

"So you are saying it was good she got hurt?" I asked growing angry.

"No. No one should have gotten hurt, but it is better her than you, because you knew what to do immediately."

I sighed and shook my head. "So I guess we just wait now," I whispered.

"Yup." He closed his eyes and sighed.

"I wonder how she is going to be now," I said pushing the sock harder against her head. "She was actually getting a little better, but now…" I shook my head.

"Just be there for her, Edward, and she will be fine. She will definitely be shook up, but she will be fine in time. Just stay with her," Emmett whispered.

I nodded.

I pulled Bella closer to me and sighed into her sweaty, knotty hair. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

That took me two freaking hours to write! It was harder than I would have thought. I better get a ton of REVIEWS to compensate!

Thanks for reading!

REVIEW!


	12. Chapter 12

And you all thought that was the end, that I was done with all of them. Hahahahahahahaha.

JAR:

"Just be there for her, Edward, and she will be fine. She will definitely be shook up, but she will be fine in time. Just stay with her," Emmett whispered.

I nodded.

I pulled Bella closer to me and sighed into her sweaty, knotty hair. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

Edward's Point of View

"Edward, Emmett, Bella?"

I opened my eyes slowly and looked toward the cave's entrance. "In here, Carlisle!" I yelled, trying not to wake Bella. She stirred anyway and opened her eyes.

She immediately began shaking and whimpering I'm sure in pain as well as fear. "Shh," I whispered. "It's okay now. Carlisle is here. He will take us home."

She buried her head in my chest as Emmett stood up on one leg, supporting himself on the cave's wall. "In here!" he called.

Carlisle appeared at the entrance, just a figure in the dark, starless night. He started walking toward us. "I'm so glad I found you!" he exclaimed.

I don't know at what point I realized it wasn't Carlisle. It could have been right when he walked into the cave, or it could have been when he talked. Either way, I knew this man was not my father.

"Emmett, that's not…"

"I know," he whispered. "I swear I tied them all up so tight not even _I_ would have been able to break free."

"Well, one of them broke free," I whispered. I shook my head and buried my face in Bella's hair as the man who was not Carlisle slowly approached us. "What do we do?" I whispered, pain coloring my voice.

"I can fight him," Emmett said, determination evident in _his_ voice.

"You can't even walk!" I said looking up.

He sighed and looked around before gasping. "There!" he said quietly pointing. "Hide Bella in there. Then, you _and_ I can fight him."

Across the cave was a little hole just big enough for Bella to fit in. It was hidden from the cave's entrance. I looked toward the figure: he was having trouble getting past one of the puddles.

Quietly, I stood up. Bella flinched in my arms, and I hugged her closer to me. "Shh," I whispered. I walked over to the hole and put her in, positioning her so her ribs and arm wouldn't hurt. Her still bleeding head would just have to wait for now.

At first, she wouldn't let go of me. I hummed her lullaby softly for a second though, and she let go, staring at me wide-eyed.

"I _will_ be back," I promised. "Stay right here."

I kissed her lightly on the cheek before standing up and walking over to Emmett. "Is she safe?" he asked.

"Yes," I whispered. "You do as much as you can on that leg, and I will make up for whatever you can't do."

The figure finally figured out how to lift his foot off the ground and walk over the puddle that really wasn't so big. Was he really that stupid?

He walked over to us, extending his arms toward us. "I'm so glad they didn't hurt you!" he exclaimed.

"Cut the crap," I nearly growled. "We know you aren't Carlisle."

He froze and put his arms to his sides. "Well, thank heavens for that. I didn't want to keep playing that stupid game when we can just cut to the chase!" I realized then that it was Kyle.

"I thought I knocked you out and tied you up," Emmett growled.

"Oh, you did. I have a nice, purple bump on my head to prove it. I broke free though. It really wasn't that hard, although Bob and Bill couldn't do it. I didn't feel like bringing them with me this time." He shrugged. "So surprise, surprise!"

I frowned. "So what are you planning this time?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"Where's Isabella?" Kyle asked.

"That's not your concern," Emmett said angrily. "Now cut the formality crap and let's get to it!"

"Very well then." He walked slowly toward us as we got into fighting position, Emmett a little awkwardly as he couldn't put a lot of weight on his leg.

With one easy blow to the leg, Emmett was down on the ground. Kyle kicked him in the head knocking him unconscious. Wasn't Emmett supposed to be the strong one?

"Now that that's over," Kyle said clapping his hands together as if to wipe off unwanted dust. "Let's get to the real fun." He smiled.

I punched him in the stomach quickly before running out of the cave to the dark beach. I wanted this to happen as far away from Bella as possible.

As expected, Kyle came running out, fists in the air ready to fight.

I have absolutely no idea how I learned all of the fighting techniques I used, but I went about this like a pro. With one swift lift of the knee, I had Kyle learning over, groaning. I grabbed his shoulders and punched him repeatedly in the stomach.

I thought I had it in the bag, but he grabbed my arm mid punch and twisted it all the way around. I screamed out in pain and clutched my arm to my chest.

"Stupid idiot!" Kyle yelled. "You thought you had this all figured out!" He punched me in the stomach. "You thought you and your precious Isabella were safe!" Another punch to the stomach. "Well, you aren't!" Punch. "Because you are going to die." Punch, punch. "And Isabella will be mine!" He punched me so hard that I fell to the ground, groaning.

My head snapped up immediately at the sound of a voice, the sound of _her_ voice. "You stay away from him," Bella said, her voice shaking but loud and clear as a bell. I stared at her in shock as she stood hunched over, her broken arm still wrapped around her body, her other arm wrapped around her stomach to keep her ribs from hurting too much.

"Bella," I wheezed. "Get in the cave!"

Slowly, she walked toward us, wincing in pain. "It's me you want. So leave him alone." She spoke to Kyle, completely ignoring me.

"Bella!" I yelled standing up. "I said get in the cave!"

Her head snapped toward me. "No," she said. "I am sick and tired of my body not allowing me to do things for myself because it is too scared. I told it to shove itself up my butt back there, and I will _not_ go looking for it again." I stared at her in shock. "I would rather be insane. I _was_ insane. But now, I'm ready to avenge my parents."

She turned back to Kyle, a look of pure disgust on her face. Slowly, she advanced toward him. He just stood there not moving. Apparently, he was in as much shock as I was.

She took her good arm away from her waist, wincing, and punched him in the face harder than I would have thought possible. "You killed my parents," she said before kicking him in the legs. He fell to the ground. "So now, I kill you." She kicked him so hard in the head that I literally heard his skull crack open. He passed out immediately.

She took one look at him before turning away and walking back towards the cave. "We need to get Emmett," she said quietly. "He is still passed out in there."

I stared at her in awe not able to move. This girl was so different than the Bella I once knew…and I loved her so much more for it.

I turned and looked at Kyle just in time to see him pull out a gun from his back pocket. He pointed it straight at Bella's retreating figure and shot once before passing out again.

Everything happened in slow motion. The bullet entered Bella's back. She froze and fell to her knees. I ran to her and grabbed her shoulders shaking her. "Bella!" I yelled.

She looked at me, a deep sadness in her huge eyes. Croaking noises escaped her lips.

She couldn't die. I loved her so much! If she died, I would cease to exist.

Without thinking, I picked her up and ran faster than I ever had before. I ran to the end of the beach and up to the road, looking for a hospital or a house, anywhere to save Bella.

Anywhere to save my Bella…

* * *

REVIEW. That's all I can say.


	13. Chapter 13

Thank you so much for the reviews. I got so many!

I am sorry that I left you all hanging for so long. Work got in the way, like major, and I have been extremely tired sometimes to the point of tears. I didn't want to write a chapter while so tired, because then it would stink. I don't want any part of this story to stink, so I waited. Even though I am still incredibly tired right now, I figured I had left you all hanging for too long. So here is the next chapter! If it stinks, just know that I am really tired. Tell me to get off the freaking computer so I can get some sleep so I can write better chapters!

Anyway…Please read my other story called **Learning to Breathe**, and please review! Pretty please!

JAR:

She couldn't die. I loved her so much! If she died, I would cease to exist.

Without thinking, I picked her up and ran faster than I ever had before. I ran to the end of the beach and up to the road, looking for a hospital or a house, anywhere to save Bella.

Anywhere to save my Bella…

* * *

Edward's Point of View

I burst through the hospital doors, sweat dripping down my face, breathing heavily. Bella lay limp in my arms: she had gone unconscious about ten minutes ago.

"Help!" I yelled. "Somebody…help me!"

A swarm of doctors and nurses came running stretcher in tow. I lay Bella down but kept a hold of her hand.

"What happened?" one of the doctors asked as we all ran to the emergency room.

"She…she was shot," I said tears streaming down my face. "She was shot in the back."

"By who?"

"Now is not the time for that!" I screamed. "Just save my Bella!"

We ran into the emergency room, and the doctors immediately set to work. They stripped Bella of her dirty, bloody shirt and the stand-in bandages and flipped her on her side to examine the entrance sight. While they did this, one of the nurses stuck a tube down Bella's throat and started pumping air into her lungs.

I couldn't watch. I ran from the room and lowered myself to the ground in the middle of the hallway rocking myself back and forth, sobs escaping my mouth.

"Don't die, Bella," I whispered. "Please don't die."

* * *

Emmett's Point of View

I woke up to a crazy little pixie jumping all over me.

"What's going on?" I groaned.

"Emmett Cullen!" Alice screamed. "Get off your fat butt and tell us what the heck happened here!"

I looked around the room to find Carlisle and Jasper staring at me. "Where are Edward and Bella?" Carlisle asked trying to keep calm.

I stood up slowly keeping all of my weight on my good leg. "The last thing I remember, Kyle came into the cave. Edward put Bella into that little hole over there," I pointed, "to try to keep her safe. Kyle knocked me out and…I don't know."

I rubbed my head wincing as I felt a bump the size of Texas forming. I groaned.

"Yeah, we found Kyle over on the beach. He isn't dead, but he has quite the bump on his head. He is bleeding pretty badly. I left him there," Jasper said.

"So you don't know where Edward and Bella are?" Alice asked frantically. "What the crap kind of a brother are you?" she yelled.

I lowered my head. "I…I…"

"Alice, stop it," Jasper said taking her into his arms. "He tried his best and that is all we can ask for."

I looked up. "Have you tried calling Edward's phone?" I asked Carlisle.

"No. We wanted to ask you first." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed the number.

"Edward!" he said after a minute. "Edward, what's wrong? Where are you?"

My eyes widened. Something was wrong.

"Edward, I need you to calm down for me," Carlisle said calmly. "I need you to tell me where you are." There was a pause before he gasped. "She got shot?"

I stared at my father wide eyed as Alice let out a little cry and Jasper held her tight.

"I know Edward. I know. Calm down. What hospital are you at?" Carlisle asked. Pause… "Okay. We'll be right there. It's going to be okay Edward. Don't worry."

He hung up and we were off.

* * *

Edward's Point of View

"Hello?" I asked, my voice cracking.

"Edward!" Carlisle said. "Edward, what's wrong? Where are you?"

"I…I'm…Bella…" I broke off. I couldn't take this.

"Edward, I need you to calm down for me," Carlisle said calmly. "I need you to tell me where you are."

"I'm…I'm in the…the hospital," I sobbed. "Bella…Bella got shot."

Carlisle gasped. "She got shot?" he asked in shock.

"I tried to save her! I really did! I tried, dad!" I said quickly.

"I know Edward," he said. "I know. Calm down. What hospital are you at?"

"It is just a tiny hospital about a mile north of the beach. Just go up to the road and follow it north," I said quietly. "You can't miss it."

"Okay. We'll be right there. It's going to be okay Edward. Don't worry."

He hung up, and I slowly put my phone into my pocket. I stood up and leaned heavily against the wall bending over, putting my head in my hands.

Bella was going to die. That was the only thing I could think of as I stood there waiting for any news as to what was happening. Bella was going to die, and it was my entire fault.

If only I had forced her back into the cave. If only I hadn't just stood there like an idiot staring at her. If only…

"Edward!" Alice came running down the hallway. She wrapped her arms around as much of me as possible and cried into my shoulder. I didn't move an inch. I continued to hold my head in my hands.

Carlisle walked up supporting Emmett on his shoulder. Jasper walked behind them holding Kyle in his arms. "How is she doing?" Carlisle asked.

"I don't know," I said in a monotone.

"I'm sorry Edward," Emmett said. "I should have been there helping you. I was stupid, and I got myself knocked out. I'm so sorry."

"Just get him out of my sight," I said motioning to Kyle. "Before I rip him to shreds."

Jasper walked away to take care of Kyle.

A little while later, Jasper came back. "The doctors are taking care of him now. The police are involved as well, so he won't be getting away. The cops were at the house, so the other two will be arrested too."

I nodded once. "Let's go sit in the chairs," Alice said quietly. She took my hand and walked with me slowly. I sat down and slumped over putting my head in my hands again. Alice sat on one side of me and Jasper sat on the other side.

"I'm going to go with Emmett to get his leg taken care of," Carlisle said. "We'll be back."

The next hour was not good for my nerves at all. I couldn't stop thinking of all the worst scenarios. Bella died. Bella lived but was brain dead. The list went on and on.

After an hour and a half, Emmett and Carlisle came back. Emmett's leg was in a cast, and he was on crutches. They both sat down and prepared to wait with the rest of us.

I stood up and leaned against the wall, my hands in my pockets, my head towards the floor.

I paced the hallway worry clear in my eyes.

I dropped to the ground against the wall and nearly pulled my hair out.

I stood up quickly when a doctor came out of the Emergency Room. He walked up to me and smiled at me, exhausted. The rest of the family stayed where they were listening intently.

"We were able to get the bullet out of her…"

"Bella," I corrected. "Her name is Bella."

The doctor nodded. "We were able to get the bullet out of Bella, but we found that it pierced one of her lungs and a lot of the tissue leading up to the lungs."

I nodded refusing to let the news sink in yet.

"We stabilized Bella with some difficulty, but she is in critical condition. She is not able to breathe on her own."

I nodded again still refusing to understand any of this.

"We are going to operate immediately on Bella's lung and the tissue to see what we can do. We need parental permission though."

Carlisle stood up and shook hands with the doctor. "I'm Bella's father," he said.

I turned away as they began speaking doctor. I sat in my chair and leaned back closing my eyes.

Carlisle came back after a while and sat down. "They are operating on Bella now. Dr. Staff said it could take anywhere from two to six hours depending on the extent of the damage."

"What are Bella's chances?" Alice asked quietly.

"If they can fix her lung and the tissue surrounding it, she has a very high chance of surviving this. She will have breathing problems for the rest of her life though, and she will need to keep oxygen on hand just in case."

"After the surgery, Dr. Staff has agreed to transport Bella to the hospital in Forks. That way, she can be closer to home."

I didn't move. My Bella on oxygen… I nearly cried.

* * *

Bella's Point of View

Beep, Beep, Beep

I woke up to a steady beeping noise. It was nearly driving me mad. I groaned and tried to move my hand to smack whatever was disturbing me, but I found I couldn't move any part of my body.

"Bella?" Two hands fluttered across my face. "Bella, open your eyes."

I opened my eyes slowly and stared into the face of Edward. He was worried, that much I could tell.

"Edward?" I whispered.

He sighed. "Oh Bella! It's been a whole week!" He hugged me tightly, and I nearly screamed in pain. He pulled away quickly. "I'm sorry!" he said quickly. "I'm sorry!"

"What happened?" I whispered. I struggled to get a breath in. I realized then that I had an oxygen tube up my nose.

"You stood up for yourself at the beach," Edward said quietly. He took my hand in his and squeezed it lightly trying not to disturb the tubes running along my arm. "And you got yourself shot." He lowered his eyes. "The bullet punctured your lung and the tissue around it. The doctors were able to repair it to an extent, but you will always…you will always suffer." A single tear slid down his face.

I wanted to comfort him, to tell him everything would be all right, but I didn't know if that would be a lie. I sighed and closed my eyes turning my head to the side. "What else is wrong with me?" I whispered. "Because this much pain can not come only from a busted lung and some ruined tissue."

"You're in pain?" Edward asked, worry piercing each word.

"Please tell me what's wrong with me, Edward," I whispered quietly struggling to get another breath in as I kept my eyes closed.

"You…you broke three ribs, which is also contributing to the breathing problems," he said quietly. "You broke your arm, and bruises are covering a lot of your body."

"What happened to you and Emmett?" I whispered.

"Emmett broke his leg. I broke my arm. That's it."

"And what happened to…" I breathed in and out slowly. "What happened to Kyle and the others?" I whispered.

Edward growled softly. "They are in prison where they should be. Well actually, they should be in hell, but I don't feel like going to jail right now, so I can't kill them." He laughed bitterly.

I sighed in relief and opened my eyes slowly turning to look at Edward again. "So it's over?" I whispered.

"Yes. It's over. You can heal now, physically _and_ emotionally." He kissed me lightly on the forehead.

"I don't know if I can go back to normal, Edward," I whispered frowning. "Too much…too much has happened." A few tears escaped my eyes. Edward wiped them away softly with his thumb.

"I don't expect you to be normal, Bella," he whispered quietly. "But you can feel comfortable now. You can try talking to the rest of the family now."

"I…I don't know…I don't know if I can," I whispered crying full out now. "Even though it's over…I don't know if I can."

Edward panicked as my heart rate shot up. He jumped up ripping his hand away from me. I gasped for air clutching at the bed. What was going on?

"Bella!" Carlisle ran into the room. He adjusted my oxygen levels and grabbed my hand. "Bella, you need to breathe with me. Breathe with me now."

I continued to gasp as I focused on Carlisle's breathing: only on Carlisle's breathing. After a while, I was able to breathe fairly normal again. I still struggled slightly though. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the thought of sleep.

"What happened?" Carlisle asked Edward quietly.

"She…we were just talking," Edward said quickly. "We were just talking."

"Did she get upset?" Carlisle asked.

"Y…yes. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset her!"

"Edward, calm down. It's fine. You just need to realize that she can't freak out like that anymore now. She is already struggling for air as it is. If she cries too hard or freaks out too much, she could lose the oxygen she needs. She is working with one good lung and one bad lung now, Edward. You need to be careful."

"Okay," Edward whispered. Carlisle left the room, and Edward sat in a chair next to me grabbing my hand softly. "I'm sorry, Bella," he whispered.

I turned my head towards him but kept my eyes closed. I didn't have the energy to open them. "It's okay," I whispered.

"Bella, if I tell you something, do you promise not to freak out?" Edward asked after a while.

I struggled to get a breath in but nodded. "Okay," I whispered.

"Bella, I…I think…I think I love you."

I lay there completely frozen in shock as my eyes snapped open. I stared at Edward's blurry figure. "What?" I whispered.

"I…I love you, Bella," he said quietly as he squeezed my hand softly. "I love you."

"I…I…" I had absolutely no idea what to say. This was all too much for me.

"It's okay, Bella," Edward whispered stroking my cheek softly. "You don't have to say anything. Just sleep now."

"But Edward…I don't know…I don't know if I love you," I whispered. "I don't know…"

"Shh. It's okay, Bella. It's okay."

"I mean, you comfort me when I need comforting, and I feel relatively safe, as safe as I can feel, around you. Does that mean I love you?" I asked quietly.

"Bella, calm down before you have an attack again. Please, just try to sleep."

"But Edward…"

"Are you in pain?" he asked suddenly.

I nodded slowly but kept my eyes on him. There was no point in lying to him.

He pressed the call button above my head. A nurse walked into the room and smiled. "What can I get you?" she asked kindly.

"Bella is in pain," Edward said simply keeping his eyes locked with mine.

"We'll take care of that right away." She filled a syringe with something and stuck it in my I.V. quickly. "That should do it. Call me if you need anything else."

She left the room.

My eyes began to droop.

"There now," Edward whispered. "Just sleep and forget everything I said. Just sleep."

I blinked my eyes rapidly trying to stay awake. I needed to figure this out.

Edward was the only person I truly felt safe around. I could talk to him and only him. I let him touch me without flinching. He was beautiful. But most of all, I could trust him.

I closed my eyes and sighed. "I love you too," I whispered before falling into the blackness.

END

* * *

I know, I didn't expect it to be the end either, but it is. Don't you even worry. There WILL be a sequel soon! I have plans….

Mwahahahahahahahaha!

REVIEW!


	14. PLEASE UNDERSTAND

I want to apologize for my very drastic behavior. I am not going to quit: I never was. I just...I've had possibly the worst weekend of my entire life, and that one bad review sent me off the deepend.

I will continue to write, but I don't think I will be updating anything for a while. I am not in the mood for anything right now, including writing.

Musically Inclined


	15. Sequal Information

So I wrote the first chapter of the sequal to this story. I really did write it. As I was writing it, I came across a song that will remain unknown to you all for the time being. I got ideas that shocked me. At first, I wanted to write these ideas as the sequal, but the more I thought about it, the more wrong it all felt to me.

Let me try to explain this to you all.

I have been trying to come up with an idea for my own book for a very long time now. I have been coming up blank. After hearing this song though, the floodgate opened up and ideas are now rushing at me so fast that I don't even know what's going on. All I know is that these ideas are not meant for fanfiction. I don't know why, but they just aren't meant for fanfiction. They are meant for my own book. Because the more I think about it going onto fanfiction, the more sick I feel. It just...it isn't right.

So, I can't write a sequal right now. I can't write anything on here right now. I want, no I NEED to write my own book. I need to get these shocking ideas out of my head.

I am so sorry for dissapointing you all. I know that you are all immensly angry with me right now. But...I need to concentrate. I promise you all that if I finish this book of mine and if by some freak chance I get it published, I will let you all know immediately.

I just...I need to do this. I don't know why. It is just a feeling I am getting. I need to.

I am so sorry.

Musically Inclined


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